LIBRARY 

UMIVEH     ITY  OF 

CALIrOKNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


ILLUSTRATED   LIBRARY  OF   TRAVEL 


SIAM 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  WHITE  ELEPHANT 
AS  IT  WAS  AND  IS 


COMPILED   AND   ARRANGED    BY 

GEORGE  B.  BACON 

REVISED    BY 

FREDERICK  WELLS   WILLIAMS 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 
1892 


COPYRIGHT,  1881,  1892,  BY 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 


TROW  DIRECTORY 

PRINTING  AND  BOOKBINDINQ  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK 


REVISER'S   NOTE 

THE  present  editor's  aim  in  revising  this  little  vol- 
ume has  been  to  leave  untouched,  so  far  as  possible, 
Mr.  Bacon's  compilation,  omitting  only  such  portions 
as  were  inaccurate  or  obsolete,  and  adding  rather 
sparingly  from  the  narratives  of  a  few  recent  travel- 
lers. The  authoritative  history  and  description  of 
Siam  has  yet  to  be  written,  and  until  this  work  ap- 
pears the  accounts  of  Pallegoix,  of  Bowring,  and  of 
Mouliot  convey  as  satisfactory  and  accurate  impres- 
sions of  the  country  as  those  of  later  writers.  Though 
the  wonderful  ruins  at  Angkor  are  now  technically 
within  the  confines  of  Siam,  their  consideration  still 
belongs  to  a  treatise  on  Cambodia,  and  this  as  a  sepa- 
rate country  could  not  fairly  be  joined  to  Siam  in 
carrying  out  the  plan  of  the  series.  In  other  re- 
spects, without  attempting  to  be  exhaustive,  the  re- 
viser's endeavor  has  been  to  neglect  no  important 
part  or  feature  of  the  kingdom. 

The  regeneration  effected  in  Siam  during  the  past 
half  century  presents  a  suggestive  contrast  to  that 
ebullition  of  new  life  which  has  within  an  even  briefer 
period  transformed  despotic  Japan  into  a  free  and 
ambitious  state.  Here,  as  there,  the  stranger  is  im- 
pressed with  those  outward  symbols  of  nineteenth- 
century  life,  the  agencies  of  steam,  gas,  and  electric- 

2075589 


iv  REVISER'S  NOTE 

ity  that  appear  in  many  busy  centres  in  whimsical 
incongruity  to  their  Oriental  setting ;  but  these  are 
the'adjnncts  rather  than  the  essentials  of  that  West- 
ern civilization  which  both  countries  are  striving  to 
imitate.  In  Siam,  it  must  be  confessed,  there  is  no 
such  evidence  of  popular  awakening  as  now  directs 
the  world's  attention  to  the  Mikado's  empire.  The 
languor  and  content  of  life  in  the  tropics  disposes  the 
people  to  seek  new  ideals  and  accept  new  institutions 
less  eagerly  than  under  Northern  skies.  Siam's  policy 
of  gradual  progress  toward  a  condition  of  higher  en- 
lightenment is  in  admirable  accordance  with  her 
needs,  and  promises  to  achieve  its  purpose  with  no 
such  risks  of  reaction  or  shipwreck  as  beset  the  course 
of  more  ambitious  states  in  the  East. 

F.  W.  W. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER   I. 
EARLY    INTERCOURSE    WITH    SIAM  —  RELATIONS    WITH 

OTHER  COUNTRIES, 1 

CHAPTER  II. 
GEOGRAPHY  OF  SIAM:, 10 

CHAPTER  III. 
OLD  SIAM — ITS  HISTORY,    .        .        .        .  .        .17 

CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  STORIES  OF  Two  ADVENTURERS,      ....      36 

CHAPTER  V. 
MODERN  SIAM, 65 

CHAPTER  VI. 
FIRST  IMPRESSIONS, 73 

CHAPTER    VII. 
A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN, 86 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
PlIUABAT    SOilDETCH    PHRA    PARAMENDR    MAHA    MONG- 

KUT, 104 

CHAPTER  IX. 
AYUTHIA, 121 


Vl  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  X. 
PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI, 130 

CHAPTER  XI. 
FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CHANTABOUN — A  MISSIONAKY  JOUR- 

NEY  IN  1835, 146 

CHAPTER    XII. 
CHANTABOUN  AND  THE  GULP, 170 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

MOUHOT  IN  THE  HlLL-COUNTRY  OP  CHANTABOUN,    .  .      183 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
PECHABURI  OR  P'RIFP'REE, 200 

CHAPTER  XV. 
THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  Si  AM, 216 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS, 234 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  SIAM, 258 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS  IN  SIAM — THE  OUTLOOK  FOR  THE 

FUTURE, 270 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
BANGKOK  AND  THE  NEW  SIAM, 277 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

GREAT  PAGODA  WAT  CHANG,      ....      Frontispiece 

PACIKO 
PAGE 

INUNDATION  OP  THE  MEINAM, 11 

PAGODA  AT  AYUTHIA, 21 

VIEW  TAKEN  FROM  THE  CANAL  AT  AYUTHIA,  ...  31 

RUINS  OF  A  PAGODA  AT  AYUTHIA, 38 

GENERAL  VIEW  OF  BANGKOK, 76 

THE  LATE  FIRST  KING  AND  QUEEN,         .       .        .       .105 

ONE  OF  THE  SONS  OF  THE  LATE  FIRST  KING,        .        .  109 

A  FEW  OF  THE  CHILDREN  OF  THE  LATE  FIRST  KING,   .  120 

REMOVAL  OF  THE  TUFT  OF  A  YOUNG  SIAMESE,      .        .  122 

ELEPHANTS  IN  AN  ENCLOSURE  OR  PARK  AT  AYUTHIA,  .  127 

PAKNAM  ON  THE  MEINAM, 129 

PAGODA  AT  MOUNT  PHRABAT, 130 

MOUNTAINS  OF  KORAT  FROM  PATAWI,      ....  141 

PORT  OF  CHANTABOUN, 149 

MONKEYS  PLAYING  WITH  A  CROCODILE,   ....  180 

SIAMESE  ACTORS, 194 

MOUNTAINS  OF  PECHABURI, 200 

SIAMESE  WOMEN, 234 


viii  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING 
PAGE 

SIAMESE  ROPE-DANCER 237 

SIAMESE  LADIES  AT  DINNER, 242 

BUILDING  ERECTED  AT  FUNERAL  OP  SIAMESE  OF  HIGH 

BANK, ......    251 

HALL  OF  AUDIENCE,  PALACE  OF  BANGKOK,  .  .  .  277 
PORTICO  OF  THE  AUDIENCE  HALL  AT  BANGKOK,  .  .  280 
THE  PALACE  OF  THE  KING  OF  SIAM,  BANGKOK,  .  .  292 


SIAM 


CHAPTER  I. 

EARLY    INTERCOURSE    WITH  SIAM— RELATIONS  WITH 
OTHER  COUNTRIES 

THE  acquaintance  of  the  Christian  world  with  the 
kingdom  and  people  of  Siam  dates  from  the 
beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  is  due  to  the 
adventurous  and  enterprising  spirit  of  the  Portu- 
guese. It  is  difficult  for  us,  in  these  days  when  Por- 
tugal occupies  a  position  so  inconsiderable,  and  plaj's 
a  part  so  insignificant,  among  the  peoples  of  the 
earth,  to  realize  what  great  achievements  were 
wrought  in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries  by 
the  peaceful  victories  of  the  early  navigators  and 
discoverers  from  that  country,  or  by  the  military 
conquests  which  not  seldom  followed  in  the  track  of 
their  explorations.  It  was  while  Alphonso  d' Albu- 
querque was  occupied  with  a  military  expedition  in 
Malacca,  that  he  seized  the  occasion  to  open  diplo- 
matic intercourse  with  Siam.  A  lieutenant  under 
his  command,  who  was  fitted  for  the  service  by  an 
experience  of  captivity  during  which  he  had  ac- 
quired the  Malay  language,  was  selected  for  the  mis- 
sion, lie  was  well  received  by  the  king,  and  came 


2  SIAM 

back  to  his  general,  bringing  royal  presents  and  pro- 
posals to  assist  in  the  siege  of  Malacca.  So  cordial  a 
response  to  the  overtures  of  the  Portuguese  led  to  the 
more  formal  establishment  of  diplomatic  and  com- 
mercial intercourse.  And  before  the  middle  of  the 
sixteenth  century  a  considerable  number  of  Portu- 
guese had  settled,  some  of  them  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  capital  (Ayuthia),  and  some  of  them  in  the 
provinces  of  the  peninsula  of  Malacca,  at  that  time 
belonging  to  the  kingdom  of  Siam.  One  or  two  ad- 
venturers, such  as  De  Seixas  and  De  Mello,  rose  to 
positions  of  great  power  and  dignity  under  the  Sia- 
mese king.  And  for  almost  a  century  the  Portu- 
guese maintained,  if  not  an  exclusive,  certainly  a 
pre-eminent,  right  to  the  commercial  and  diplomatic 
intercourse  which  they  had  inaugurated. 

As  in  other  parts  of  the  East  Indies,  however,  the 
Dutch  presently  began  to  dispute  the  supremacy  of 
their  rivals,  and,  partly  by  the  injudicious  and  pre- 
sumptuous arrogance  of  the  Portuguese  themselves, 
succeeded  in  supplanting  them.  The  cool  and  mer- 
cenary cunning  of  the  greedy  Hollanders  was  more 
than  a  match  for  the  proud  temper  of  the  hot-blood- 
ed Dons.  And  as,  in  the  case  of  Japan,  the  story 
of  Simabara  lives  in  history  to  witness  what  shame- 
less and  unscrupulous  wickedness  commercial  rivalry 
could  lead  to  ;  so  in  Siam  there  is  for  fifty  years  a 
story  of  intrigue  and  greed,  over-reaching  itself  first 
on  one  side,  and  then  on  the  other.  First,  the  Por- 
tuguese were  crowded  out  of  their  exclusive  privil- 
eges. And  then  in  turn  the  Dutch  were  obliged  to 
surrender  theirs.  To-day  there  are  still  visible  in  the 


EARLY  INTERCOURSE   WITH  SLAM  3 

jnngle,  near  'the  mouth  of  the  Meinam  River,  the 
ruins  of  the  Amsterdam  which  grew  up  between  the 
years  1672  and  1725,  under  the  enterprise  of  the 
Dutch  East  India  Company,  protected  and  fostered 
by  the  Siamese  Government.  And  to-day,  also,  the 
descendants  of  the  Portuguese,  easy  to  be  recognized, 
notwithstanding  the  mixture  of  blood  for  many  gener- 
ations, hold  insignificant  or  menial  offices  about  the 
capital  and  court. 

As  a  result  of  Portuguese  intercourse  with  Siam, 
there  came  the  introduction  of  the  Christian  religion 
by  Jesuit  missionaries,  who,  as  in  China  and  Japan, 
were  quick  to  follow  in  the  steps  of  the  first  explor- 
ers. No  hindrance  was  put  in  the  way  of  the  unmo- 
lested exercise  of  religious  rites  by  the  foreign  set- 
tlers. Two  churches  were  built ;  and  the  ecclesiastics 
in  charge  of  the  church  at  Ayuthia  had  begun  to  ac- 
quire some  of  that  political  influence  which  is  so  irre- 
sistible a  temptation  to  the  Roman  Catholic  mission- 
ary, and  so  dangerous  a  possession  when  he  has  onco 
acquired  it.  It  is  probable  enough  (although  the 
evidence  does  not  distinctly  appear)  that  this  ten- 
dency of  religious  zeal  toward  political  intrigue  in- 
flamed the  animosity  of  the  Dutch  traders,  and  af- 
forded them  a  convenient  occasion  for  undermining 
the  supremacy  of  their  rivals.  However  this  may 
be,  the  Christian  religion  did  not  make  any  great 
headway  among  the  Siamese  people.  And  while 
they  conceded  to  the  foreigners  religions  liberty,  they 
showed  no  eagerness  to  receive  from  them  the  gift  of 
a  new  religion. 

In  the  year  1604  the  Siamese  king  sent  an  ambas- 


4:  8IAM 

sador  to  the  Dutch  colony  at  Bantam,  in  the  island 
of  Java.  And  in  1608  the  same  ambassador  extend- 
ed his  journey  to  Holland,  expressing  "  much  sur- 
prise at  finding  that  the  Dutch  actually  possessed  a 
country  of  their  own,  and  were  not  a  nation  of  pirates, 
as  the  Portuguese  had  always  insinuated."  The  his- 
tory of  this  period  of  the  intercourse  between  Siam 
and  the  European  nations,  abundantly  proves  that 
shrewdness,  enterprise,  and  diplomatic  skill  were  not 
on  one  side  only. 

Between  Siam  and  France  there  was  no  consider- 
able intercourse  until  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.,  when 
an  embassy  of  a  curiously  characteristic  sort  was  sent 
out  by  the  French  monarch.  The  embassy  was  osten- 
tatiously splendid,  and  made  great  profession  of  a 
religious  purpose  no  less  important  than  the  conver- 
sion of  the  Siamese  king  to  Christianity.  The  origin 
of  the  mission  was  strangely  interesting,  and  the 
record  of  it,  even  after  the  lapse  of  nearly  two  hun- 
dred years,  is  so  lively  and  instructive  that  it  de- 
serves to  be  reproduced,  in  part,  in  another  chapter 
of  this  volume.  The  enterprise  was  a  failure.  The 
king  refused  to  be  converted,  and  was  able  to  give 
some  dignified  and  substantial  reasons  for  distrusting 
the  religious  interest  which  his  "  esteemed  friend, 
the  kino-  of  France,"  had  taken  "  in  an  affair  which 

o  ' 

seems  to  belong  to  God,  and  which  the  Divine  Being 
appears  to  have  left  entirely  to  our  discretion."  Com- 
mercially and  diplomatically,  also,  as  well  as  religi- 
ously, the  embassy  was  a  failure.  The  Siamese 
prime  minister  (a  Greek  by  birth,  a  Roman  Catholic 
by  religion),  at  whose  instigation  the  French  king 


EARLY  INTERCOURSE   WITH  SIAM  5 

had  acted,  soon  after  was  deposed  from  his  office,  and 
came  to  his  death  by  violence.  The  Jesuit  priests 
were  put  under  restraint  and  detained  as  hostages, 
and  the  military  force  which  accompanied  the  mis- 
sion met  with  an  inglorious  fate.  A  scheme  which 
seemed  at  first  to  promise  the  establishment  of  a 
great  dominion  tributary  to  the  throne  of  France, 
perished  in  its  very  conception. 

The  Government  of  Spain  had  early  relations  with 
Siatn,  through  the  Spanish  colony  in  the  Philippine 
Islands  ;  and  on  one  or  more  occasions  there  was  an 
interchange  of  courtesies  and  good  offices  between 
Manilla  and  Ayuthia.  But  the  Spanish  never  had  a 
foothold  in  the  kingdom,  and  the  occasional  and  un- 
important intercourse  referred  to  ceased  almost  wholly 
until,  during  the  last  fifty  years,  and  even  the  last 
twenty,  a  new  era  of  commercial  activity  has  brought 
the  nations  of  Europe  and  America  into  close  and  fa- 
miliar relations  with  the  Land  of  the  White  Ele- 
phant. 

The  relations  of  the  kingdom  of  Siam  with  its  im- 
mediate neighbors  have  been  full  of  the  vicissitudes 
of  peace  and  war.  There  still  remains  some  trace  of 
a  remote  period  of  partial  vassalage  to  the  Chinese 
Empire,  in  the  custom  of  sending  gifts — which  were 
originally  understood,  by  the  recipients  at  least,  if  not 
by  the  givers,  to  be  tribute  to  Peking.  With  Bur- 
mah  and  Pegu  on  the  one  side,  and  with  Cambodia 
and  Cochin  China  on  the  other,  there  has  existed  from 
time  immemorial  a  state  of  jealous  hostility.  The 
boundaries  of  Siam,  eastward  and  westward,  have 
fluctuated  with  the  successes  or  defeats  of  the  Siam- 


6  SIAM 

ese  arms.  Southward  the  deep  gulf  shuts  off  the 
country  from  any  neighbors,  whether  good  or  bad, 
and  for  more  than  three  centuries  this  has  been  the 
highway  of  a  commerce  of  unequal  importance,  some- 
times very  active  and  remunerative,  but  never  wholly 
interrupted  even  in  the  period  of  the  most  complete 
reactionary  seclusion  of  the  kingdom. 

The  new  era  in  Siam  may  be  properly  dated  from 
the  year  1854,  when  the  existing  treaties  between  Siam 
on  the  one  part,  and  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States  on  the  other  part,  were  successfully  negotiated. 
But  before  this  time,  various  influences  had  been 
quietly  at  work  to  produce  a  change  of  such  singular 
interest  and  importance.  The  change  is  indeed  a 
part  of  that  great  movement  by  which  the  whole 
Oriental  world  has  been  re-discovered  in  our  day  ;  by 
which  China  has  been  started  on  a  new  course  of  de- 
velopment and  progress ;  by  which  Japan  and  Corea 
have  been  made  to  lay  aside  their  policy  of  hostile 
seclusion.  It  is  hard  to  fix  the  precise  date  of  a 
movement  which  is  the  result  of  tendencies  so  vari- 
ous and  so  numerous,  and  which  is  evidently,  as  yet, 
only  at  the  beginning  of  its  history.  But  the  treaty 
negotiated  by  Sir  John  Bowring,  as  the  ambassador 
of  Great  Britain,  and  that  negotiated  by  the  Honor- 
able Townsend  Harris,  as  the  ambassador  of  the 
United  States,  served  to  call  public  attention  in  those 
two  countries  to  a  land  which  was  previously  almost 
unheard  of  except  by  geographical  students.  There 
was  no  popular  narrative  of  travel  and  exploration. 
Indeed,  there  had  been  no  travel  and  exploration 
much  beyond  the  walls  of  Bangkok  or  the  ruins  of 


EARLY  INTERCOURSE  WITH  81  AM  7 

Ayuthia.  The  German,  Mandelslohe,  is  the  earliest 
traveller  who  has  left  a  record  of  what  he  saw  and 
heard.  His  visit  to  Ayuthia,  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  which  subsequent  travellers  have  agreed  in  be- 
stowing on  Bangkok,  the  present  capital — "  The  Yen- 
ice  of  the  East " — was  made  in  1537.  The  Portu- 
guese, Mendez  Pinto,  whose  visit  was  made  in  the 
course  of  the  same  century,  has  also  left  a  record  of 
his  travels,  which  is  evidently  faithful  and  trust- 
worthy. We  have  also  the  records  of  various  embas- 
sies, and  the  narratives  of  missionaries  (both  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  and,  during  the  present  century,  the 
American  Protestant  missionaries),  who  have  found 
time,  amid  their  arduous  and  discouraging  labors,  to 
furnish  to  the  Christian  world  much  valuable  infor- 
mation concerning  the  people  among  whom  they  have 
chosen  to  dwell. 

"Of  these  missionary  records,  by  far  the  most 
complete  and  the  most  valuable  is  the  work  of 
Bishop  Pallegoix  (published  in  French  in  the  year 
1854),  entitled  "  Description  du  Royaume  Thai  on 
Siam."  The  long  residence  of  the  excellent  Bishop 
in  the  country  of  which  he  wrote,  and  in  which,  not 
many  years  afterward  (in  1862)  he  died,  sincerely 
lamented  and  honored,  fitted  him  to  speak  with  in- 
telligent authority ;  and  his  book  was  of  especial 
value  at  the  time  when  it  was  published,  because  the 
Western  Powers  were  engaged  that  very  year  in  the 
successful  attempt  to  renew  and  to  enlarge  their 
treaties  with  Siam.  To  Bishop  Pallegoix  the  Eng- 
lish envoy,  Sir  John  Bowring,  is  largely  indebted, 
as  he  does  not  fail  to  confess,  for  a  knowledge  of  the 


8  SIAM 

history,  manners,  and  customs  of  the  realm,  which 
helped  to  make  the  work  of  his  embassy  more  easy, 
and  also  for  much  of  the  material  which  gives  the 
work  of  Bowring  himself  ("  The  Kingdom  and  Peo- 
ple of  Siam,"  London,  1857)  its  value. 

Since  Sir  John  Bowring's  time  the  interior  of 
Siam  has  been  largely  explored,  and  especially  by 
one  adventurous  traveller,  Henry  Mouhot,  who  lost 
his  life  in  the  jungles  of  Laos  while  engaged  in  his 
work  of  exploration.  With  him  begins  our  real 
knowledge  of  the  interior  of  Siam,  and  its  partly  de- 
pendent neighbors  Laos  and  Cambodia.  The  scien- 
tific results  of  his  travel  are  unfortunately  not  pre- 
sented in  such  orderly  completeness  as  would  have 
been  given  to  them  had  Mouhot  lived  to  arrange  and 
to  supplement  the  details  of  his  fragmentary  and  out- 
lined journal.  But  notwithstanding  these  necessary 
defects,  Mouhot's  book  deserves  a  high  place,  as  giv- 
ing the  most  adventurous  exploration  of  a  country 
which  appears  more  interesting  the  more  and  better 
it  is  known.  The  great  ruins  of  Angkor  (or  Angeor) 
Wat,  for  example,  near  the  boundary  which  separates 
Siam  from  Cambodia,  were  by  him  for  the  first  time 
examined,  measured,  and  reported  with  some  ap- 
proach to  scientific  exactness. 

Among  more  recent  and  easily  accessible  works  on 
the  country,  from  some  of  which  we  have  borrowed, 
may  be  mentioned,  F.  Vincent's,  "  Land  of  the  White 
Elephant,"  1874,  A.  Grehan's,  "  Koyaume  de  Siam," 
fourth  edition,  Paris,  1878,  "  Siam  and  Laos,  as  seen 
by  our  American  Missionaries,"  Philadelphia,  1 884-, 
Carl  Bock's  "  Temples  and  Elephants,"  London,  1884, 


EARLY  INTERCOURSE  WITH  81  AM  9 

A.  K.  Colquhoun's,  "  Among  the  Shans,"  1885,  L. 
de  Game's,  "  Travels  in  Indo-Chiua,  etc.,"  1872,  Miss 
M.  L.  Cort's,  "  Siam,  or  the  Heart  of  Farther  India," 
1886,  and  John  Anderson's,  "  English  Intercourse 
with  Siam,"  1890.  The  most  authoritative  map  of 
Siam  is  that  published  in  the  "  Proceedings  of  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society,"  London,  1888,  by  Mr. 
J.  McCarthy,  Superintendent  of  Surveys  in  Siam. 


CHAPTER  II. 

GEOGRAPHY  OF  SIAM 

THE  following  description  of  the  country  is  quoted 
with  some  emendations  from  Mr.  Carl  Bock's 
"  Temples  and  Elephants." 

The  European  name  for  this  land  has  been  derived 
from  the  Malay  word  Sayam  (or  sajani),  meaning 
"brown,"  but  this  is  a  conjecture.  The  natives  call 
themselves  Thai,  i.e.,  "  free,"  and  their  country 
Muang  Thai,  "  the  kingdom  of  the  free." 

Including  its  dependencies,  the  Lao  states  in  the 
north,  and  the  Malay  states  in  the  south,  Siam  ex- 
tends from  latitude  20°  20'  K  to  exactly  4°  S.,  while, 
with  its  Cambodian  provinces,  its  extreme  breadth  is 
from  longitude  97°  E.  to  about  108°  E.  The  north- 
ern frontier  of  the  Lao  dependencies  has  not  been 
defined,  but  it  may  be  said,  roughly,  to  lie  north  of 
the  twentieth  parallel,  beyond  the  great  bend  of  the 
Mekong  River,  the  high  range  to  the  east  of  which 
separates  Siam  from  Annam.  To  the  south  lie  Cam- 
bodia and  the  Gulf  of  Siam,  stretching  a  long  arm 
down  into  the  Malay  Peninsula.  On  the  west  it 
abuts  on  Upper  and  Lower  Burma,  both  now  British 
possessions. 

Through  Siam  and  Lao  run  two  great  mountain 
chains,  both  radiating  from  Yunnan  through  the 


L  i  f;iH      w  j          '  ' 

fife.  1 1'    " 

. 

N 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  SIAM  11 

Shan  states.  The  eastern  chain  stretches  in  a  S.S.E. 
direction  from  Kiang  Tsen  right  down  to  Cambodia, 
while  the  western  chain  extends  in  a  southerly  direc- 
tion through  the  Malay  Peninsula.  Their  height 
rises  sometimes  to  9,000  feet,  but  it  does  not  often 
seem  to  exceed  5,000  ;  limestone,  gneiss,  and  granite 
appear  to  form  the  main  composition  of  the  rocks. 

Between  these  two  mountain-chains,  with  their 
ramifications,  lies  the  great  alluvial  plain  of  the 
Meinam,  a  magnificent  river,  of  which  the  Portuguese 
poet  Camoens  sings  (Lusiad  X.  cxxv.) : 

"  The  Menam  now  behold,  whose  waters  take 
Their  sources  in  the  great  Chiamai  lake," 

in  which  statement,  however,  the  bard  was  misin- 
formed, the  source  being  a  mountain  stream  on  the 
border  of  the  Shan  states,  but  within  Lao  territory, 
and  not,  as  is  generally  marked  on  charts,  in  Yunnan. 
Near  Kahang  the  main  stream  is  joined  by  the  Mei 
Wang,  flowing  S.W.  from  Lakon,  the  larger  river 
being  called  above  this  junction  the  Mei  Ping.  The 
other  great  tributary,  the  Pak-nam-po,  also  called 
the  Meinam  Yome,  joins  it  in  latitude  15°  45',  after 
flowing  also  in  a  S.W.  direction. 

To  the  annual  inundation  of  the  Meinam  and  its 
tributaries  the  fertility  of  the  soil  is  due.  Even  as 
far  up  as  in  the  Lao  states  the  water  rises  from  eight 
to  ten  feet  during  the  rainy  season.  A  failure  of 
these  inundations  would  be  fatal  to  the  rice  crop,  so 
that  Siam  is  almost  as  much  as  Egypt  a  single  river 
valley,  upon  whose  alluvial  deposits  the  welfare  of 
millions  depends.  In  this  broad  valley  are  to  be 


12  SI  A  M 

found  the  forty-one  political  divisions  which  make  np 
Siam  proper. 

The  second  great  river  of  importance  is  the  Bang- 
Pa  Kong,  which  has  its  source  in  a  barrier  range  of 
irregular  mountains,  separating  the  elevated  plateau 
of  Korat  from  the  alluvial  plains  extending  to  the 
head  of  the  Gulf  of  Siam.  The  river  meanders 
through  the  extensive  paddy-lands  and  richly  culti- 
vated districts  of  the  northeast  provinces,  and  falls 
into  the  sea  twenty  miles  east  of  the  Meinam.  An- 
other considerable  river  is  the  Meldong,  which  falls 
into  the  sea  about  the  same  distance  to  the  west  of 
Bangkok ;  at  its  mouth  is  a  large  and  thriving  vil- 
lage of  the  same  name.  This  is  the  great  rice  dis- 
trict, and  from  Meldong  all  np  the  river  to  Kanburi 
a  large  number  of  the  population  are  Chinese.  In 
this  valley  are  salt-pits,  on  which  the  whole  kingdom 
depends  for  its  supply.  The  Meldong  is  connected 
with  the  Meinam  by  means  of  a  canal,  which  affords 
a  short  cut  to  Bangkok,  avoiding  the  sea-passage. 

A  third  river  system,  that  of  the  Mekong,  much 
the  largest  of  all  the  rivers  in  Indo-China,  drains  the 
extreme  north  and  east  of  Siam.  This  huge  stream, 
which  is  also  mentioned  in  Camoens'  Lusiad,  takes 
its  rise  near  the  sources  of  the  Yangtse  Kiang  in 
Eastern  Thibet,  and  belongs  in  nearly  half  its  course 
to  China.  It  was  partly  explored  by  M.  Mouhot, 
and  later  (in  1868)  by  Lagree's  expedition,  who  found 
it,  in  spite  of  the  great  body  of  water,  impracticable 
for  navigation.  M.  de  Carne",  one  of  the  exploration 
party,  thus  sums  up  the  results  of  the  search  for  a  new 
trade  route  into  Southern  China :  "  The  difficulties 


OROGRAPHY  OF  SIAM  13 

the  river  offers  begin  at  first,  starting  from  the  Cam- 
bodian frontier,  and  they  are  very  serious,  if  not  in- 
surmountable. If  it  were  attempted  to  use  steam  on 
this  part  of  the  Mekong  the  return  would  be  most 
dangerous.  At  Khong  an  absolutely  impassable  bar- 
rier, as  things  are,  stands  in  the  way.  Between 
Khong  and  Bassac  the  waters  are  unbroken  and  deep, 
but  the  channel  is  again  obstructed  a  short  distance 
from  the  latter.  From  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Ubone  the  Mekong  is  nothing  more  than  an  impetu- 
ous torrent,  whose  waters  rush  along  a  channel  more 
than  a  hundred  yards  deep  by  hardly  sixty  across. 
Steamers  can  never  plough  the  Mekong  as  they  do 
the  Amazon  or  the  Mississippi,  and  Saigon  can  never 
be  united  to  the  western  provinces  of  China  by  this 
immense  water-way,  whose  waters  make  it  mighty 
indeed,  but  which  seems  after  all  to  be  a  work  unfin- 
ished." 

Of  the  tributary  states,  the  Laos,  who  occupy  the 
Mekong  valley  and  spread  themselves  among  the 
wilds  between  Tongking,  China,  and  Siam,  are  prob- 
ably the  least  known.  In  physique  and  speech  they 
are  akin  to  the  Siamese,  and  are  regarded  by  some 
writers  as  being  the  primitive  stock  of  that  race. 
They  have  some  claims  as  a  people  of  historical  im- 
portance, constituting  an  ancient  and  powerful  king- 
dom whose  capital  Vein-shan,  was  destroyed  by 
Siam  in  1828.  Since  then  they  have  remained  sub- 
ject to  Siam,  being  governed  partly  by  native  heredi- 
tary princes,  duly  invested  with  gold  dish,  betel-box, 
spittoon,  and  teapot  sent  from  Bangkok,  and  partly 
by  officers  appointed  by  the  Siamese  government. 


14  SIAM 

Their  besetting  sin  is  slave-hunting,  which  was  until 
recently  pursued  with  the  acquiescence  of  the  Siam 
authorities,  to  the  terror  of  the  hill-tribes  within  their 
reach  and  to  their  own  demoralization.  Apart  from 
the  passions  associated  with  this  infamous  trade  the 
Laos  are  for  the  most  part  an  inoffensive,  unwarlike 
race,  fond  of  music,  and  living  chiefly  on  a  diet  of 
rice,  vegetables,  fruits,  fish,  and  poultry.  Pure  and 
mixed,  they  number  altogether  perhaps  some  one 
million  five  hundred  thousand. 

The  most  important  of  the  Malay  states  is  Q  tied  ha, 
in  Siamese  Muang  Sai.  Its  population  of  half  a 
million  Malays  is  increased  by  some  twenty  thou- 
sand Chinese  and  perhaps  five  thousand  of  other 
races.  The  country  is  leve  land  covered  with  fine  for- 
ests, where  elephants,  tigers,  and  rhinoceroses  abound. 
A  high  range  of  mountains  separates  Quedha  from 
the  provinces  of  Patani  (noted  for  its  production  of 
rice  and  tin)  and  Songkhla.  These  again  are  divided 
from  the  province  of  Kalantan  by  the  Banara  River, 
and  from  Tringanu  by  the  Batut  River.  In  Ligor 
province,  called  in  Siamese  Lakhon,  three-fourths  of 
the  population  are  Siamese.  The  gold  and  silver- 
smiths of  Ligor  have  a  considerable  reputation  for 
their  vessels  of  the  precious  metals  inlaid  with  a 
black  enamel. 

As  to  the  Cambodian  provinces  under  Siamese 
rule  the  following  particulars  are  extracted  from  a 
paper  by  M.  Victor  Berthier : 

The  most  important  provinces  are  those  lying  to 
the  west,  Battambang  and  Korat.  The  former  of 
these  is  situated  on  the  west  of  the  Grand  Lake  (Tonle 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  SIAM  15 

Sap),  and  supports  a  population  of  about  seventy 
thousand,  producing  salt,  fish,  rice,  wax,  and  carda- 
moms, besides  animals  found  in  the  forests.  Two 
days'  march  from  Battambang  is  the  village  of  Ang- 
kor Borey  (the  royal  town),  the  great  centre  of  the 
beeswax  industry,  of  which  24,000  pounds  are  sent 
yearly  to  Siam.  Thirty  miles  from  this  place  is 
situated  the  auriferous  country  of  Tu'k  Clio,  where 
two  Chinese  companies  have  bought  the  monopoly  of 
the  mines.  The  metal  is  obtained  by  washing  the 
sand  extracted  from  wells  about  twenty  feet  deep, 
at  which  depth  auriferous  quartz  is  usually  met,  but 
working  as  they  do  the  miners  have  no  means  of 
getting  ore  from  the  hard  stone. 

Korat  is  the  largest  province  and  is  peopled  almost 
entirely  by  Cambodians.  Besides  its  chief  town  of 
the  same  name  it  contains  a  great  number  of  villages 
with  more  than  eleven  district  centres,  and  contains 
a  population  estimated  at  fifty  thousand  or  sixty 
thousand.  Angkor,  the  most  noted  of  the  Cambo- 
dian provinces,  is  now  of  little  importance,  being 
thinly  populated  and  chiefly  renowned  for  the  splen- 
dor of  its  ancient  capital,  whose  remarkable  ruins  are 
the  silent  witnesses  of  a  glorious  past.  The  present 
capital  is  Siern  Rap,  a  few  miles  south  of  which  is 
the  hill  called  Phnom  Krom  (Inferior  Mount),  which 
becomes  an  island  during  the  annual  inundation. 
The  other  Cambodian  provinces  now  ruled  by  Siam 
are  almost  totally  unknown  by  Europeans. 

The  population  of  Siam  has  never  been  officially 
counted,  but  is  approximately  estimated  by  Europeans 
at  from  six  to  twelve  millions.  According  to  Mr. 


16  SI  AM 

Archibald  Colqnhoun,  however,  this  is  based  upon  an 
entirely  erroneous  calculation.  "  Prince  Prisdang  as- 
sured me,"  he  says,*  "  that  Sir  John  Bowring  had 
made  a  great  mistake  in  taking  the  list  of  those  who 
were  liable  to  be  called  out  for  military  service  as  the 
gross  population  of  the  kingdom  ;  and  that  if  that  list 
were  multiplied  by  five,  it  would  give  a  nearer  ap- 
proximation to  the  population.  M.  Mouhot  says  that 
a  few  years  before  1862  the  native  registers  showed 
for  the  male  sex  (those  who  were  inscribed),  2,000,000 
Siamese,  1,000,000  Laotians  (or  Shans),  1,000,000 
Malays,  1,500,000  Chinese,  350,000  Cambodians, 
50,000  Peguans,  and  a  like  number  composed  of  vari- 
ous tribes  inhabiting  the  mountain-ranges.  Taking 
these  statistics  and  multiplying  them  by  five,  which 
Bishop  Pallegoix  allows  is  a  fair  way  of  computing 
from  them,  we  should  have  a  population  of  29,950,- 
000.  To  this  would  have  to  be  added  the  Chinese  and 
Peguans  who  had  not  been  born  in  the  country,  and 
were  therefore  not  among  the  inscribed  ;  also  the  hill 
tribes  that  were  merely  tributary  and  therefore  merely 
paid  by  the  village,  as  well  as  about  one-seventh  of 
the  above  total  for  the  ruling  classes,  their  families  and 
slaves.  This  total  would  give  at  least  35,000,000  in- 
habitants for  Siam  Proper,  to  which  would  have  to  be 
added  about  3,000,000  for  its  dependencies,  Zimme 
(Cheung  Mai),  Luang  Prabang,  and  Kiang  Tsen, — a 
gross  population,  therefore,  of  about  38,000,000  for 
the  year  1860."  On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  McCarthy, 
a  competent  judge,  considers  the  government  estimate 
of  ten  million  too  high. 

*  Amongst  the  Shans.    London,  1885. 


CHAPTER  III. 

OLD  SIAM— ITS  HISTORY 

THE  date  at  which  any  coherent  and  trustworthy 
history  of  Siain  must  commence  is  the  found- 
ing of  the  sacred  city  of  Ayuthia  (the  former  capi- 
tal of  the  kingdom),  in  the  year  1350  of  the  Christian 
era.  Tradition,  more  or  less  obscure  and  fabulous, 
does  indeed  reach  back  into  the  remote  past  so  far  as 
the  fifth  century,  B.C.  According  to  the  carefully 
arranged  chronology  of  Bishop  Pallegoix,  gathered 
from  the  Siamese  annals,  which  annals,  however,  are 
declared  by  His  Majesty  the  late  King  to  be  "  all  full 
of  fable,  and  are  not  in  satisfaction  for  believe,"  the 
origin  of  the  nation  can  be  traced  back,  if  not  into 
indefinite  space  of  time,  at  least  into  the  vague  and 
uncertain  "  woods,"  and  ran  on  this  wise  : 

"  There  were  two  Brahminical  recluses  dwelling  in 
the  woods,  named  Satxanalai  and  Sitthimongkon, 
coeval  with  Plua  Khodom  (the  Buddha),  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty  years  of  age,  who  having  called 
their  numerous  posterity  together,  counselled  them 
to  build  a  city  having  seven  walls,  and  then  departed 
to  the  woods  to  pass  their  lives  as  hermits. 

"  But  their  posterity,  under  the  leadership  of 
Bathamarat,  erected  the  city  Savanthe  valok,  or 


18  SI  AM 

Sangkhalok,  about  the  year  300  of  the  era  of  Phra 
Khodom  (B.C.  about  243). 

"  Bathamarat  founded  three  other  cities,  over 
which  he  placed  his  three  sons.  The  first  he  ap- 
pointed ruler  in  the  city  of  Haripunxai,  the  second 
in  Kamphoxa  nakhon,  the  third  in  Phetxabun. 
These  four  sovereignties  enjoyed,  for  five  hundred 
years  or  more,  the  uttermost  peace  and  harmony 
under  the  rule  of  the  monarchs  of  this  dynasty." 

The  places  named  in  this  chronicle  are  all  in  the 
valley  of  the  upper  Meinam,  in  the  "  north  country," 
and  the  fact  of  most  historical  value  which  the 
chronicle  indicates  is  that  the  Siamese  came  from 
the  north  and  from  the  west,  bringing  with  them  the 
government  and  the  religion  which  they  still  possess. 
The  most  conspicuous  personage  in  these  ancient 
annals  is  one  Phra  Huang,  "whose  advent  and 
glorious  reign  had  been  announced  by  a  communica- 
tion from  Gaudama  himself,  and  who  possessed,  in 
consequence  of  his  merits,  a  white  elephant  with 
black  tusks ; "  he  introduced  the  Thai  alphabet, 
ordained  a  new  era  which  is  still  in  vogue,  married 
the  daughter  of  the  emperor  of  China,  and  consoli- 
dated the  petty  princedoms  of  the  north  country  into 
one  sovereignty.  His  birth  was  fabulous  and  his 
departure  from  the  world  mysterious.  He  is  the 
mythic  author  of  the  Siamese  History.  Born  of  a 
queen  of  the  Nakhae  (a  fabulous  race  dwelling  under 
the  earth),  who  came  in  the  way  of  his  father,  the 
King  of  Haripunxai,  one  day  when  the  king  had 
"retired  to  a  mountain  for  the  purpose  of  medita- 
tion, he  was  discovered  accidentally  by  a  huntsman, 


OLD  SIAM—ITS  HISTORY  19 

and  was  recognized  by  the  royal  ring  which  his 
father  had  given  to  the  lady  from  the  underworld. 
When  he  had  grown  up  he  entered  the  court  of  his 
father,  and  the  palace  trembled.  He  was  acknowl- 
edged as  the  heir,  and  his  great  career  proceeded 
with  uninterrupted  glory.  At  last  he  went  one  day 
to  the  river  and  disappeared."  It  was  thought  he 
had  rejoined  his  mother,  the  Queen  of  the  Nakhae, 
and  would  pass  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the 
realms  beneath.  The  date  of  Phra  Huang's  reign  is 
given  as  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  of  the 
Christian  era. 

After  him  there  came  successive  dynasties  of 
kings,  ending  with  Phaja  Uthong,  who  reigned  seven 
years  in  Northern  Cambodia,  but  being  driven  from 
his  kingdom  by  a  severe  pestilence,  or  having  volun- 
tarily abandoned  it  (as  another  account  asserts),  in 
consequence  of  explorations  which  had  discovered 
"  the  southern  country,"  and  found  it  extremely  fer- 
tile and  abundant  in  fish,  he  emigrated  with  his  peo- 
ple and  arrived  at  a  certain  island  in  the  Meinam, 
where  he  "  founded  a  new  city,  Ivrfing  theph  maha 
nakhon  Siajuthaja — a  great  town  impregnable  against 
angeis :  Siamese  era  711,  A.D.  1349." 

Here,  at  last,  we  touch  firm  historic  ground,  al- 
though there  is  still  in  the  annals  a  sufficient  admixt- 
ure of  what  the  late  king  happily  designates  as 
"fable."  The  foundations  of  Ayuthia,  the  new 
city,  were  laid  with  extraordinary  care.  The  sooth- 
sayers were  consulted,  and  decided  that  "  in  the  712th 
year  of  the  Siamese  era,  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  wan- 
ing moon,  the  fifth  month,  at  ten  minutes  before 


20  SIAM 

four  o'clock,  the  foundation  should  be  laid.  Three 
palaces  were  erected  in  honor  of  the  king ;  and  vast 
countries,  among  which  were  Malacca,  Tennasserim, 
Java,  and  many  others  whose  position  cannot  now 
be  defined,  were  claimed  as  tributary  states."  King 
Uthong  assumed  the  title  Phra-Rama-thi-bodi,  and 
after  a  reign  of  about  twenty  years  in  his  new  capi- 
tal handed  down  to  his  son  and  to  a  long  line  of  suc- 
cessors, a  large,  opulent,  and  consolidated  realm. 
The  word  Phra,  which  appears  in  his  title  and  in 
that  of  almost  all  his  successors  to  the  present  day, 
is  said  by  Sir  John  Bowring  to  be  "  probably  either 
derived  from  or  of  common  origin  with  the  Pharaoh 
of  antiquity."  But  the  resemblance  between  the 
words  is  simply  accidental,  and  the  connection  which 
he  seeks  to  establish  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  ad- 
mitted. 

His  Majesty  the  late  King  of  Siam,  a  man  of  re- 
markable character  and  history,  was  probably,  while 
he  lived,  the  best-informed  authority  on  all  matters 
relating  to  the  history  of  his  kingdom.  Fortunately, 
being  a  man  of  scholarly  habits  and  literary  tastes, 
he  has  left  on  record  a  concise  and  readable  histori- 
cal sketch,  from  which  we  cannot  do  better  than  to 
make  large  quotations,  supplementing  it  when  neces- 
sary with  details  gathered  from  other  sources.  The 
narrative  begins  with  the  foundation  of  the  royal 
city,  Ayuthia,  of  which  an  account  has  already  been 
given  on  a  previous  page.  The  method  of  writing 
the  proper  names  is  that  adopted  by  the  king  him- 
self, who  was  exact,  even  to  a  pedantic  extent,  in  re- 
gard to  such  matters.  The  king's  English,  however, 


'Hffl 


P**T 

m 


OLD  SI  AM— ITS  HISTORY  21 

which  was  often  droll  and  sometimes  unintelligible, 
has  in  this  instance  been  corrected  by  the  mission- 
ary under  whose  auspices  the  sketch  was  first  pub- 
lished.* 

"  Ayuthia  when  founded  was  gradually  improved 
and  became  more  and  more  populous  by  natural  in- 
crease, and  the  settlement  there  of  families  of  Laos, 
Kambujans,  Peguans,  people  from  Yunnan  in  China, 
who  had  been  brought  there  as  captives,  and  by  Chi- 
nese and  Mussulmans  from  India,  who  came  for  the 
purposes  of  trade.  Here  reigned  fifteen  kings  of  one 
dynasty,  successors  of  and  belonging  to  the  family  of 
U-T'ong  Rarna-thi-bodi,  who,  after  his  death,  was 
honorably  designated  as  Phra  Chetha  Bida  —  i.e., 
*  Royal  Elder  Brother  Father.'  This  line  was  inter- 
rupted by  one  interloping  usurper  between  the  thir- 
teenth and  fourteenth.  The  last  king  was  Mahintrd- 
thi-rat.  During:  his  reisrn  the  renowned  king  of 

o  o  o 

Pegu,  named  Chamna-dischop,  gathered  an  immense 
army,  consisting  of  Peguans,  Birmese,  and  inhabi- 
tants of  northern  Siam,  and  made  an  attack  upon 
Ayuthia.  The  ruler  of  nothern  Siam  was  Maha- 
thamma  raja  related  to  the  fourteenth  king  as  son- 
in-law,  and  to  the  last  as  brother-in-law. 

"  After  a  siege  of  three  months  the  Peguans  took 
Ayuthia,  but  did  not  destroy  it  or  its  inhabitants, 
the  Peguan  monarch  contenting  himself  with  captur- 
ing the  king  and  royal  family,  to  take  with  him  as 

*  No  attempt  at  uniformity  in  this  respect  has  been  made  by 
the  editor  of  this  volume  ;  but,  in  passages  quoted  from  different 
authors,  the  proper  names  are  written  and  accented  according  to 
the  various  methods  of  those  authors. 


22  SIAM 

trophies  to  Pegu,  and  delivered  the  country  over  to 
be  governed  by  Maha-tharnma  raja,  as  a  dependency. 
The  king  of  Pegu  also  took  back  with  him  the  oldest 
son  of  Maha-thamma  raja  as  a  hostage ;  his  name 
was  Phra  Naret.  This  conquest  of  Ayuthia  by  the 
king  of  Pegu  took  place  A.  D.  1556. 

"  This  state  of  dependence  and  tribute  continued 
but  a  few  years.  The  king  of  Pegu  died,  and  in  the 
confusion  incident  to  the  elevation  of  his  son  as  suc- 
cessor Prince  .Naret  escaped  with  his  family,  and, 
attended  by  many  Peguans  of  influence,  commenced 
his  return  to  his  native  land.  The  new  king  on 
hearing  of  his  escape  despatched  an  army  to  seize 
and  bring  him  back.  They  followed  him  till  he  had 
crossed  the  Si-thong  (Birman  Sit-thaung)  Biver, 
where  he  turned  against  the  Peguan  army,  shot  the 
commander,  who  fell  from  his  elephant  dead,  and 
then  proceeded  in  safety  to  Ayuthia. 

"  War  with  Pegu  followed,  and  Siam  again  be- 
came independent.  On  the  demise  of  Maha-thamma 
raja,  Prince  Naret  succeeded  to  the  throne,  and  be- 
came one  of  the  mightiest  and  most  renowned  rulers 
Siam  ever  had.  In  his  wars  with  Pegu,  he  was  ac- 
companied by  his  younger  brother,  Eka-tassa-rot, 
who  succeeded  Naret  on  the  throne,  but  on  account 
of  mental  derangement  was  soon  removed,  and  Phra- 
Siri  Sin  Ni-montham  was  called  by  the  nobles  from 
the  priesthood  to  the  throne." 

With  the  accession  of  this  last-mentioned  sovereign 
begins  a  new  dynasty.  But  before  reproducing  the 
chronicles  of  it  we  may  add  a  few  words  concerning 
that  which  preceded. 


OLD  SIAM—ITS  HISTORY  23 

This  dynasty  had  lasted  from  the  founding  of  Ay- 
uthia,  A.D.  1350,  until  A.D.  1602,  a  period  of  two 
hundred  years.  Its  record  shows,  on  the  whole,  a 
remarkable  regularity  of  succession,  with  perhaps  no 
more  intrigues,  illegitimacies,  murders,  and  assassina- 
tions than  are  to  be  found  in  the  records  of  Christian 
dynasties.  Temples  and  palaces  were  built,  and 
among  other  works  a  gold  image  of  Buddha  is  said 
to  have  been  cast  (in  the  city  of  Pichai,  in  the  year 
A.D.  1380),  "  which  weighed  fifty-three  thousand 
catties,  or  one  hundred  and  forty  -  one  thousand 
pounds,  which  would  represent  the  almost  incredible 
value  (at  seventy  shillings  per  ounce)  of  nearly  six 
millions  sterling.  The  gold  for  the  garments  weighed 
two  hundred  and  eighty-six  catties."  Another  great 
image  of  Buddha,  in  a  sitting  posture,  was  cast  from 
gold,  silver,  and  copper,  the  height  of  which  was 
fifty  cubits. 

One  curious  tradition  is  on  record,  the  date  of 
which  is  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
On  the  death  of  King  Intharaxa,  the  sixth  of  the  dy- 
nasty, his  two  eldest  sons,  who  were  rulers  of  smaller 
provinces,  hastened,  each  one  from  his  home,  to  seize 
their  father's  vacant  throne.  Mounted  on  elephants 
they  hastened  to  Ayuthia,  and  by  strange  chance  ar- 
rived at  the  same  moment  at  a  bridge,  crossing  in 
opposite  directions.  The  princes  were  at  no  loss  to 
understand  the  motive  each  of  his  brother's  journey. 
A  contest  ensued  upon  the  bridge — a  contest  so  furi- 
ous and  desperate  that  both  fell,  killed  by  each 
other's  hands.  One  result  of  this  tragedy  was  to 
make  easy  the  way  of  the  youngest  and  surviving 


24  SIAM 

brother,  who,  coming  by  an  undisputed  title  to  the 
throne,  reigned  long  and  prosperously. 

During  some  of  the  wars  between  Pegu  and  Siam, 
the  hostile  kings  availed  themselves  of  the  services 
of  Portuguese,  who  had  begun,  by  the  middle  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  to  settle  in  considerable  numbers 
in  both  kingdoms.  And  there  are  still  extant  the 
narratives  of  several  historians,  who  describe  with 
characteristic  pomposity  and  extravagance,  the  mag- 
nificence of  the  military  operations  in  which  they 
bore  a  part.  One  of  these  wars  seems  to  have  orig- 
inated in  the  jealousy  of  the  king  of  Pegu,  who  had 
learned,  to  his  great  disgust,  that  his  neighbor  of 
Siam  was  the  fortunate  possessor  of  no  less  than 
seven  white  elephants,  and  was  prospering  mightily 
in  consequence.  Accordingly  he  sent  an  embassy 
of  five  hundred  persons  to  request  that  two  of  the 
seven  sacred  beasts  might  be  transferred  as  a  mark 
of  honor  to  himself.  After  some  diplomacy  the 
Siamese  king  declined — not  that  he  loved  his  neigh- 
bor of  Pegu  less,  but  that  he  loved  the  elephants 
more,  and  that  the  Peguans  were  (as  they  had  them- 
selves acknowledged)  uninstructed  in  the  manage- 
ment of  white  elephants,  and  had  on  a  former  occa- 
sion almost  been  the  death  of  two  of  the  animals  of 
which  they  had  been  the  owners,  and  had  been 
obliged  to  send  them  to  Siam  to  save  their  lives. 
The  king  of  Pegu,  however,  was  so  far  from  regard- 
ing this  excuse  as  satisfactory  that  he  waged  furious 
and  victorious  war,  and  carried  off  not  two  but  four 
of  the  white  elephants  which  had  been  the  casus 
It  seems  to  have  been  in  a  campaign  about 


OLD  SI  AM— ITS  HISTORY  25 

this  time  that,  when  the  king  of  Siam  was  disabled 
by  the  ignominious  flight  of  the  war  elephant  on 
which  he  was  mounted,  his  queen,  "  clad  in  the  royal 
robes,  with  manly  spirit  fights  in  her  husband's 
stead,  until  she  expires  on  her  elephant  from  the 
loss  of  an  arm." 

It  is  related  of  the  illustrious  Plira  Karet,  of 
whom  the  royal  author,  in  the  passage  quoted  on  a 
previous  page,  speaks  with  so  mnch  admiration,  that 
being  greatly  offended  by  the  perfidious  conduct  of 
his  neighbor,  the  king  of  Cambodia,  he  bound  him- 
self by  an  oath  to  wash  his  feet  in  the  blood  of  that 
monarch.  "  So,  immediately  on  finding  himself 
freed  from  other  enemies,  he  assailed  Cambodia,  and 
besieged  the  royal  city  of  Lavik,  having  captured 
which,  he  ordered  the  king  to  be  slain,  and  his  blood 
having  been  collected  in  a  golden  ewer  he  washed  his 
feet  therein,  in  the  presence  of  his  courtiers,  amid 
the  clang  of  trumpets." 

The  founder  of  the  second  dynasty  is  famous  in 
Siamese  history  as  the  king  in  whose  reign  was  dis- 
covered and  consecrated  the  celebrated  footstep  of 
Buddha,  Plira  Bat,  at  the  base  of  a  famous  mountain 
to  the  eastward  of  Ayuthia.  Concerning  him  the 
late  king,  in  his  historical  sketch,  remarks : 

"  He  had  been  very  popular  as  a  learned  and  re- 
ligious teacher,  and  commanded  the  respect  of  all  the 
public  counsellors  ;  but  he  was  not  of  the  royal  fam- 
ily. His  coronation  took  place  A.D.  1602.  There 
had  preceded  him  a  race  of  nineteen  kings,  excepting 
one  usurper.  The  new  king  submitted  all  authority 
in  government  to  a  descendant  of  the  former  line  of 


26  SIAM 

kings,  and  to  him  also  he  intrusted  his  sons  for  ed- 
ucation, reposing  confidence  in  him  as  capable  of 
maintaining  the  royal  authority  over  all  the  tributary 
provinces.  This  officer  thus  became  possessed  of  the 
highest  dignity  and  power.  His  master  had  been 
raised  to  the  throne  at  an  advanced  age.  During 
the  twenty-six  years  he  was  on  the  throne  he  had 
three  sons,  born  under  the  royal  canopy — i.e.,  the 
great  white  umbrella,  one  of  the  insignia  of  roy- 
alty. 

"  After  the  demise  of  the  king,  at  an  extreme  old 
age,  the  personage  whom  he  had  appointed  as  regent, 
in  full  council  of  the  nobles,  raised  his  eldest  son, 
then  sixteen  years  old,  to  the  throne.  A  short  time 
after,  the  regent  caused  the  second  son  to  be  slain, 
under  the  pretext  of  a  rebellion  against  his  elder 
brother.  Those  who  were  envious  of  the  regent  ex- 
cited the  king  to  revenge  his  brother's  death  as 
causeless,  and  plan  the  regent's  assassination ;  but 
he,  being  seasonably  apprised  of  it,  called  a  council  of 
the  nobles  and  dethroned  him  after  one  year's  reign, 
and  then  raised  his  youngest  brother,  the  third  son, 
to  the  throne. 

"  He  was  only  eleven  years  old.  His  extreme 
youth  and  fondness  for  play,  rather  than  politics  or 
government,  soon  created  discontent.  Men  of  office 
saw  that  it  was  exposing  their  country  to  contempt, 
and  sought  for  some  one  who  might  fill  the  place 
with  dignity.  The  regent  was  long  accustomed  to 
all  the  duties  of  the  government,  and  had  enjoyed 
the  confidence  of  their  late  venerable  king  ;  so,  with 
one  voice,  the  child  was  dethroned  and  the  regent 


OLD  81  AM— ITS  HISTORY  27 

exalted  under  the  title  of  Phra  Chan  Pra  Sath-thong. 
This  event  occurred  A.D.  1630,"  and  forms  the  com- 
mencement of  the  third  dynasty. 

"  The  king  was  said  to  have  "been  connected  with 
the  former  dynasty,  both  paternally  and  maternally ; 
but  the  connection  must  have  been  quite  remote  and 
obscure.  Under  the  reign  of  the  priest-king  he  bore 
the  title  Raja  Suriwong,  as  indicating  a  remote  con- 
nection with  the  royal  family.  From  him  descended 
a  line  of  ten  kings,  who  reigned  at  Ayuthia  and 
Lopha-buri — Louvo  of  French  writers.  This  line 
was  once  interrupted  by  an  usurper  between  the 
fourth  and  fifth  reigns.  This  usurper  was  the  fos- 
ter-father of  an  unacknowledged  though  real  son  of 
the  fourth  king,  Chau  Narai.  During  his  reign 
many  European  merchants  established  themselves 
and  their  trade  in  the  country,  among  whom  was 
Constantine  Phaulkon  (Faulkon).  He  became  a 
great  favorite  through  his  skill  in  business,  his  sug- 
gestions and  superintendence  of  public  works  after 
European  models,  and  by  his  presents  of  many  arti- 
cles regarded  by  the  people  of  those  days  as  great 
curiosities,  such  as  telescopes,  etc. 

"  King  JSTarai,  the  most  distinguished  of  all  Siam- 
ese rulers,  before  or  since,  being  highly  pleased  with 
the  services  of  Constantine,  conferred  on  him  the 
title  of  Chau  Phya  Wicha-yentra-the-bodi,  under 
which  title  there  devolved  on  him  the  management 
of  the  government  in  all  the  northern  provinces  of 
the  country.  He  suggested  to  the  king  the  plan  of 
erecting  a  fort  on  European  principles  as  a  protection 
to  the  capital.  This  was  so  acceptable  a  proposal, 


28  SIAM 

that  at  the  king's  direction  he  was  authorized  to 
select  the  location  and  construct  the  fort. 

"  He  selected  a  territory  which  was  then  employed 
as  garden-ground,  but  is  now  the  territory  of  Bang- 
kok. On  the  west  bank,  near  the  mouth  of  a  canal, 
now  called  Bang-luang,  he  constructed  a  fort,  which 
bears  the  name  of  Wichayeiw  Fort  to  this  day.  It 
is  close  to  the  residence  of  his  Royal  Highness  Chau- 
fa-noi  Kromma  Khun  Isaret  rangsan.  This  fort  and 
circumjacent  territory  \vas  called  Thana-buri.  A  wall 
was  erected,  enclosing  a  space  of  about  one  hundred 
yards  square.  Another  fort  was  built  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  where  the  walled  city  of  Bangkok 
now  stands.  The  ancient  name  Bangkok  was  in  use 
when  the  whole  region  was  a  garden.*  The  above- 
mentioned  fort  was  erected  about  the  year  A.D.  1675. 

"This  extraordinary  European  also  induced  his 
grateful  sovereign  King  jS^arai  to  repair  the  old  city 
of  Lopha-buri  (Louvo),  and  construct  there  an  ex- 
tensive royal  palace  on  the  principles  of  European 
architecture.  On  the  north  of  this  palace  Constan- 
tino erected  an  extensive  and  beautiful  collection  of 
buildings  for  his  own  residence.  Here  also  he  built 
a  Romish  church.  The  ruins  of  these  edifices  and 
their  walls  are  still  to  be  seen,  and  are  said  to  be 
a  great  curiosity.  It  is  moreover  stated  that  he 
planned  the  construction  of  canals,  with  reservoirs  at 
intervals  for  bringing  water  from  the  mountains  on 
the  northeast  to  the  city  Lopha-buri,  and  conveying 

*  Such  names  abound  now,  as  Bang-cha,  Bang-phra,  Bang-pla- 
soi,  etc. ;  Bang  signifying  a  small  stream  or  canal,  such  as  is  seen 
in  gardens. 


OLD  SIAM—ITS  HISTORY  29 

it  through  earthen  and  copper  pipes  and  siphons,  so 
as  to  supply  the  city  in  the  dry  season  on  the  same 
principle  as  that  adopted  in  Europe.  He  commenced 
also  a  canal,  with  embankments,  to  the  holy  place 
called  Phra-Bat,  about  twenty-five  miles  southwest 
from  the  city.  He  made  an  artificial  pond  on  the 
summit  of  Phra-Bat  Mountain,  and  thence,  by  means 
of  copper  tubes  and  stop-cocks,  conveyed  abundance 
of  water  to  the  kitchen  and  bath-rooms  of  the 
royal  residence  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  His 
works  were  not  completed  when  misfortune  overtook 
him. 

"  After  the  demise  of  Ndrai,  his  unacknowledged 
son,  born  of  a  princess  of  Yunnan  or  Chiang-Mai,  and 
intrusted  for  training  to  the  care  of  Phya  Petcha 
raja,  slew  Narai's  son  and  heir,  and  constituted  his 
foster-father  king,  himself  acting  as  prime-minister 
till  the  death  of  his  foster-father,  fifteen  years  after  ; 
he  then  assumed  the  royal  state  himself.  He  is  or- 
dinarily spoken  of  as  Nai  Dua.  Two  of  his  sons  and 
two  of  his  grandsons  subsequently  reigned  at  Ayu- 
thia.  The  youngest  of  these  grandsons  reigned  only 
a  short  time,  and  then  surrendered  the  royal  author- 
ity to  his  brother  and  entered  the  priesthood.  "While 
this  brother  reigned,  in  the  year  1759,  the  Birman 
king,  Meng-luang  Alaung  Barah-gyi,  came  with  an 
immense  army,  marching  in  three  divisions  on  as 
many  distinct  routes,  and  combined  at  last  in  the 
siege  of  Ayuthia. 

"The  Siamese  king,  Chaufa  Ekadwat  Anurak 
Moutri,  made  no  resolute  effort  of  resistance.  His 
great  officers  disagreed  in  their  measures.  The  in- 


80  SIAM 

habitants  of  all  the  smaller  towns  were  indeed  called 
behind  the  walls  of  the  city,  and  ordered  to  defend 
it  to  their  utmost  ability  ;  but  jealousy  and  dissen- 
sion rendered  all  their  bravery  useless.  Sallies  and 
skirmishes  were  frequent,  in  which  the  Birmese  were 
generally  the  victorious  party.  The  siege  was  con- 
tinued for  two  years.  The  Birmese  commander-in- 
chief,  Maha  ISoratha,  died,  but  his  principal  officers 
elected  another  in  his  place.  At  the  end  of  the  two 
years  the  Birmese,  favored  by  the  dry  season,  when 
the  waters  were  shallow,  crossed  in  safety,  battered 
the  walls,  broke  down  the  gates,  and  entered  with- 
out resistance.  The  provisions  of  the  Siamese  were 
exhausted,  confusion  reigned,  and  the  Birmese  fired 
the  city  and  public  buildings.  The  king,  badly 
wounded,  escaped  with  his  flying  subjects,  but  soon 
died  alone  of  his  wounds  and  his  sorrows.  He  was 
subsequently  discovered  and  buried. 

"  His  brother,  who  was  in  the  priesthood,  and  now 
the  most  important  personage  in  the  country,  was 
captured  by  the  Birrnans,  to  be  conveyed  in  triumph 
to  Birmah.  They  perceived  that  the  country  was  too 
remote  from  their  own  to  be  governed  by  them  ;  they 
therefore  freely  plundered  the  inhabitants,  beating, 
wounding,  and  even  killing  many  families,  to  induce 
them  to  disclose  treasures  which  they  supposed  were 
hidden  by  them.  By  these  measures  the  Birmese 
officers  enriched  themselves  with  most  of  the  wealth 
of  the  country.  After  two  or  three  months  spent  in 
plunder  they  appointed  a  person  of  Mon  or  Peguan 
origin  as  ruler  over  Siam,  and  withdrew  with  numer- 
ous captives,  leaving  this  Peguan  officer  to  gather 


OLD  81  AM— ITS  HISTORY  31 

fugitives  and  property  to  convey  to  Birmah  at  some 
subsequent  opportunity.  This  officer  was  named 
Phra  jSTai  Kong,  and  made  his  headquarters  about 
three  miles  north  of  the  city,  at  a  place  called  Pho 
Sam-ton,  i.e.,  'the  three  Sacred  Fig-trees.'  One  ac- 
count relates  that  the  last  king  mentioned  above, 
when  he  fled  from  the  city,  wounded,  was  appre- 
hended by  a  party  of  travellers  and  brought  into  the 
presence  of  Phya  Kai  Kong  in  a  state  of  great  ex- 
haustion and  illness  ;  that  he  was  kindly  received  and 
respectfully  treated,  as  though  he  was  still  the  sov- 
ereign, and  that  Phya  Nai  Kong  promised  to  con- 
firm him  again  as  a  ruler  of  Siam,  but  his  strength 
failed  and  he  died  a  few  days  after  his  apprehen- 
sion. 

"  The  conquest  by  Birmah,  the  destruction  of  Ayu- 
thia,  and  appointment  of  Phya  Nai  Kong  took  place 
in  March,  A.D.  1767.  This  date  is  unquestionable. 
The  period  between  the  foundation  of  Ayuthia  and 
its  overthrow  by  the  Birmans  embraces  four  hundred 
and  seventeen  years,  during  which  there  were  thirty- 
three  kings  of  three  distinct  dynasties,  of  which  the 
first  dynasty  had  nineteen  kings  with  one  usurper ; 
the  second  had  three  kings,  and  the  third  had  nine 
kings  and  one  usurper. 

"  When  Ayuthia  was  conquered  by  the  Birmese, 
in  March,  1767,  there  remained  in  the  country  many 
bands  of  robbers  associated  under  brave  men  as  their 
leaders.  These  parties  had  continued  their  depreda- 
tions since  the  first  appearance  of  the  Birrnan  army, 
and  during  about  two  years  had  lived  by  plundering 
the  quiet  inhabitants,  having  no  government  to  fear. 


32  SIAM 

On  the  return  of  the  Birman  troops  to  their  own 
country,  these  parties  of  robbers  had  various  skir- 
mishes with  each  other  during  the  year  1767. 

"  The  first  king  established  at  Bangkok  was  an  ex- 
traordinary man,  of  Chinese  origin,  named  Pin  Tat. 
He  was  called  by  the  Chinese,  Tia  Sin  Tat,  or  Tuat. 
He  was  born  at  a  village  called  Bantak,  in  Northern 
Siam,  in  latitude  16°  N.  The  date  of  his  birth  was 
in  March,  1734.  At  the  capture  of  Ayuthia  he  was 
thirty-three  years  old.  Previous  to  that  time  he  had 
obtained  the  office  of  second  governor  of  his  own 
township,  Tak,  and  he  next  obtained  the  office  of 
governor  of  his  own  town,  under  the  dignified  title 
of  Phya  Tak,  which  name  he  bears  to  the  present 
day.  During  the  reign  of  the  last  king  of  Ayuthia, 
he  was  promoted  to  the  office  and  dignity  of  govern- 
or of  the  city  Kam-Cheng-philet,  which  from  times 
of  antiquity  was  called  the  capital  of  the  western 
province  of  Northern  Siam.  He  obtained  this  office 
by  bribing  the  high  minister  of  the  king,  Chaufa 
Ekadwat  Anurak  Moutri ;  and  being  a  brave  war- 
rior lie  was  called  to  Ayuthia  on  the  arrival  of  the 
Birman  troops  as  a  member  of  the  council.  But 
when  sent  to  resist  the  Birman  troops,  who  were  har- 
assing the  eastern  side  of  the  city,  perceiving  that 
the  Ayuthian  government  was  unable  to  resist  the 
enemy,  he,  with  his  followers,  fled  to  Chantaburi 
(Chantaboun),  a  town  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Gulf 
of  Siam,  in  latitude  12£°  K  and  longitude  102°  10' 
E.  There  he  united  with  many  brave  men,  who  were 
robbers  and  pirates,  and  subsisted  by  robbing  the 
villages  and  merchant-vessels.  In  this  way  he  be- 


OLD  SI  AM— ITS  HISTORY  33 

came  the  great  military  leader  of  the  district  and 
had  a  force  of  more  than  ten  thousand  men.  He 
soon  formed  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  headman  of 
Bangplasoi,  a  district  on  the  north,  and  with  Kam- 
buja  and  Annarn  (or  Cochin  China)  on  the  south- 
east." 

With  the  fall  of  Ayuthia  and  the  disasters  inflict- 
ed by  the  Bnrman  army  ended  the  third  dynasty  in 
the  year  1767.  So  complete  was  the  victory  of  the 
Burmese,  and  so  utter  the  overthrow  of  the  kingdom 
of  Siam,  that  it  was  only  after  some  years  of  disor- 
der and  partial  lawlessness  that  the  realm  became  re- 
organized under  strong  centralized  authority.  The 
great  military  leader,  to  whom  the  royal  chronicle 
from  which  we  have  been  quoting  refers,  seems  to 
have  been  pre-eminently  the  man  for  the  hour.  By 
his  patient  sagacity,  joined  with  bravery  and  qualities 
of  leadership  which  are  not  often  found  in  the  annals 
of  Oriental  warfare,  he  succeeded  in  expelling  the 
Burmese  from  the  capital,  and  in  reconquering  the 
provinces  which,  during  the  period  of  anarchy  con- 
sequent on  the  Burmese  invasion,  had  asserted  sepa- 
rate sovereignty  and  independence.  The  war  which 
about  this  time  broke  out  between  Burmah  and 
China  made  this  task  of  throwing  off  the  foreign 
yoke  more  easy.  And  his  own  good  sense  and  ju- 
dicious admixture  of  mildness  with  severity  concili- 
ated and  settled  the  disturbed  and  disorganized  prov- 
inces. ^Notably  was  this  the  case  in  the  province  of 
Ligor,  on  the  peninsula,  where  an  alliance  with  the 
beautiful  daughter  of  the  captive  king,  and  presently 
the  birth  of  a  son  from  the  princess,  made  it  easy  to 


34  SIAM 

attach  the  government  of  that  province  (and  inci- 
dentally of  the  adjoining  provinces),  by  ties  of  the 
strongest  allegiance  to  the  new  dynasty. 

Joined  with  Phya  Tak,  in  his  adventures  and  suc- 
cesses as  his  confidential  friend  and  helper,  was  a 
man  of  noble  birth  and  vigorous  character,  who  was, 
indeed,  scarcely  the  inferior  of  the  great  general  in 
ability.  This  man,  closely  associated  with  Phya  Tak, 
became  at  last  his  successor.  For,  at  the  close  of  his 
career,  and  after  his  great  work  of  reconstructing  the 
kingdom  was  fully  accomplished,  Phya  Tak  became 
insane.  The  bonzes  (or  priests  of  Buddha),  notwith- 
standing all  that  he  had  done  to  enrich  the  temples 
of  the  new  capital  (especially  in  bringing  from  Laos 
"  the  emerald  Buddha  which  is  the  pride  and  glory 
of  Bangkok  at  the  present  day  "),  turned  against  him, 
declaring  that  he  aspired  to  the  divine  honor  of 
Buddha  himself.  His  exactions  of  money  from  his 
rich  subjects  and  his  deeds  of  cruelty  and  arbitrary 
power  toward  all  classes  became  so  intolerable,  that 
a  revolt  took  place  in  the  city,  and  the  king  fled  for 
safety  to  a  neighboring  pagoda  and  declared  him- 
self a  member  of  the  priesthood.  For  a  while  his 
refuge  in  the  monastery  availed  to  save  his  life. 
But  presently  his  favorite  general,  either  in  response 
to  an  invitation  from  the  nobles  or  else  prompted  by 
his  own  ambition,  assumed  the  sovereignty  and  put 
his  friend  and  predecessor  to  a  violent  death.  The 
accession  of  the  new  king  (who  seems  to  have  shared 
the  dignity  and  responsibility  of  government  with 
his  brother),  was  the  commencement  of  the  present 
dynasty,  to  the  history  of  which  a  new  chapter  may 


OLD  81  AM— ITS  HISTORY  35 

properly  be  devoted.  But  before  proceeding  with 
the  history  we  interrupt  the  narrative  to  give 
sketches  of  two  European  adventurers  whose  exploits 
in  Siam  are  among  the  most  romantic  and  suggestive 
in  her  annals. 


CHAPTER  IY. 

THE   STOEIES    OP    TWO   ADVENTURERS 

THE  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries,  that  gold- 
en age  of  discovery  and  adventure,  did  not  fail 
to  find  in  the  Indo-Chinese  peninsula  brilliant  op- 
portunities for  the  exercise  of  those  qualities  which 
made  their  times  so  remarkable  in  the  history  of  the 
world.  Marco  Polo,  the  greatest  of  Asiatic  travel- 
lers, dismisses  Siam  in  a  few  words  as  a  "  country 
called  Locac  ;  a  country  good  and  rich,  with  a  king  of 
its  own.  The  people  are  idolaters  and  have  a  pecul- 
iar language,  and  pay  tribute  to  nobody,  for  their  coun- 
try is  so  situated  that  no  one  can  enter  it  to  do  them 
ill.  Indeed,  if  it  were  possible  to  get  at  it  the  Great 
Kaan  [of  China]  would  soon  bring  them  under  sub- 
jection to  him.  In  this  country  the  brazil  which  we 
make  use  of  grows  in  great  plenty  ;  and  they  also 
have  gold  in  incredible  quantity.  They  have  ele- 
phants likewise,  and  much  game.  In  this  kingdom 
too  are  gathered  all  the  porcelain  shells  which  are  used 
for  small  change  in  all  those  regions,  as  I  have  told 
you  before.  There  is  nothing  else  to  mention  except 
that  this  is  a  very  wild  region,  visited  by  few  people  ; 
nor  does  the  king  desire  that  any  strangers  should 
frequent  the  country  and  so  find  out  about  his  treas- 
ures and  other  resources." 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       37 

The  Venetian's  account,  though  probably  obtained 
from  his  Chinese  sailors,  is  essentially  correct,  and  ap- 
plies without  much  doubt  to  the  region  now  known 
as  Siam.  Sir  Henry  Yule  derives  LOCCLG  either  from 
the  Chinese  name  Lo-hoh,  pronounced  Lo-Jcok  by 
Polo's  Fokien  mariners,  or  from  Lawek,  which  the 
late  King  of  Siam  tells  us  was  an  ancient  Cambodian 
city  occupying  the  site  of  Ayuthia,  "  whose  inhabi- 
tants then  possessed  Southern  Siam  or  Western  Cam- 
bodia." 

Nearly  three  centuries  after  Polo,  when  the  far 
East  had  become  a  common  hunting-ground  for  Euro- 
pean adventurers,  Siam  was  visited  by  one  of  the  most 
extraordinary  men  of  this  type  who  ever  told  his  thrill- 
ing tales.  The  famous  Portuguese,  Mendez  Pinto, 
passed  twenty-one  years  in  various  parts  of  Asia  (1537- 
1558),  as  merchant,  pirate,  soldier,  sailor,  and  slave, 
during  which  period  he  was  sold  sixteen  times  and 
shipwrecked  five,  but  happily  lived  to  end  his  life 
peacefully  in  Portugal,  where  his  published  "  Pere- 
grinacao  "  earned  the  fate  of  Marco  Polo's  book,  and 
its  author  was  stamped  as  a  liar  of  the  first  magni- 
tude. Though  mistaken  in  many  of  its  inferences  and 
details  Pinto's  account  bears  surprisingly  well  the  ex- 
amination of  modern  -critical  scholars.  When  we  con- 
sider the  character  of  the  man  and  the  fact  that  he 
must  have  composed  his  memoirs  entirely  from  recol- 
lection, the  wonder  really  is  that  he  should  have  erred 
so  little.  The  value  of  his  story  lies  in  the  fact  that 
we  get  from  it,  as  Professor  Vambery  suggests,  "  a 
picture,  however  incomplete  and  defective,  of  the 
power  and  authority  of  Asia,  then  still  unbroken.  In 


38  SIAM 

this  picture,  so  full  of  instructive  details,  we  perceive 
more  than  one  thing  fully  worthy  of  the  attention  of 
the  latter-day  reader.  Above  all  we  see  the  fact  that 
the  traveller  from  the  west,  although  obliged  to  en- 
dure unspeakable  hardships,  privation,  pain,  and  dan- 
ger, at  least  had  not  to  suffer  on  account  of  his  nation- 
ality and  religion,  as  has  been  the  case  in  recent  times 
since  the  all-puissance  of  Europe  has  thrown  its  threat- 
ejiing  shadow  on  the  interior  of  Asia,  and  the  appear- 
ance of  the  European  is  considered  the  foreboding  of 
material  decay  and  national  downfall.  How  utterly 
different  it  was  to  travel  in  mediaeval  Asia  from  what 
it  is  at  present  is  clearly  seen  from  the  fact  that  in 
those  days  missionaries,  merchants,  and  political 
agents  from  Europe  could,  even  in  time  of  war,  tra- 
verse any  distances  in  Asiatic  lands  without  molesta- 
tion in  their  personal  liberty  or  property,  just  as  any 
Asiatic  traveller  of  Moslem  or  Buddhist  persuasion." 
Pinto  seems  to  have  gone  to  Siam  hoping  there  to 
repair  his  fortunes,  which  had  suffered  shipwreck  for 
the  fourth  time  and  left  him  in  extreme  destitution. 
Soon  after  he  joined  in  Odiaa  (Ayuthia)  the  Portu- 
guese colony,  which  he  found  to  be  one  hundred  and 
thirty  strong,  he  was  induced  with  his  countrymen  to 
serve  among  the  King's  body-guards  on  an  expedition 
made  against  the  rebellious  Shan  states  in  the  north. 
The  campaign  progressed  favorably  and  ended  in  the 
subjection  of  the  "  King  of  Chiammay "  and  his 
allies,  but  a  scheming  queen,  desirous  of  putting  her 
paramour  on  the  throne,  poisoned  the  conqueror 
upon  his  return  to  Odiaa  in  1545.  "  But  whereas 
heaven  never  leaves  wicked  actions  unpunished,  the 


feU-0 

H 


year  after,  1546,  and  on  January  15th,  they  were 
both  slain  by  Oyaa  Passilico  and  the  King  of  Cam- 
~baya  at  a  certain  banquet  which  these  princes  made 
in  a  temple."  The  usurpers  were  thus  promptly  de- 
spatched, but  the  consequences  of  their  infamy  were 
fateful  to  Siam,  as  Pinto  informs  us  at  some  length. 

"  The  Empire  of  Slam  remaining  without  a  law- 
full  successor,  those  two  great  lords  of  the  Kingdom, 
namely,  Oyaa  Passilico,  and  the  King  of  Cambaya, 
together  with  four  or  five  men  of  the  trustiest  that 
were  left,  and  which  had  been  confederated  with  them, 
thought  fit  to  chnse  for  King  a  certain  religious  man 
named  Pretiem,  in  regard  he  was  the  naturall  brother 
of  the  deceased  prince,  husband  to  that  wicked  queen 
of  whom  I  have  spoken ;  whereupon  this  religious 
man,  who  was  a  Talagrepo  of  a  Pagode,  called 
Quiay  Mitran,  from  whence  he  had  not  budged  for 
the  space  of  thirty  years,  was  the  day  after  drawn 
forth  of  it  by  Oyaa  Passilico,  who  brought  him  on 
January  17th,  into  the  city  of  Odiaa,  where  on  the 
19th  he  was  crowned  King  with  a  new  kind  of  cere- 

o 

mony,  and  a  world  of  magnificence,  which  (to  avoid 
prolixity)  I  will  not  make  mention  of  here,  having 
formerly  treated  of  such  like  things.  Withall  pass- 
ing by  all  that  further  arrived  in  the  Kingdon  of 
Siam,  I  will  content  myself  with  reporting  such  things 
as  I  imagine  will  be  most  agreeable  to  the  curious.  It 
happened  then  that  the  King  of  Bramaa  (Burmah), 
who  at  that  time  reigned  tyrannically  in  Pegu,  being 
advertised  of  the  deplorable  estate  whereunto  the 
Empire  of  Sornau  (Siam)  was  reduced,  and  of  the 
death  of  the  greatest  lords  of  the  country,  as  also  that 


40  SIAM 

the  new  king  of  this  monarchy  was  ar  religions  man, 
who  had  no  knowledge  either  of  arms  or  war,  and, 
withall  of  a  cowardly  disposition,  a  tyrant,  and  ill  be- 
loved of  his  subjects,  he  fell  to  consult  thereupon 
with  his  lords  in  the  town  of  Anapleu,  where  at  that 
time  he  kept  his  court." 

The  decision  in  favor  of  seizing  this  favorable 
opportunity  for  acquiring  his  neighbor's  territory  was 
practically  unanimous,  and  the  tyrant  of  Pegu  ac- 
cordingly assembled  an  army  of  800,000  men,  100,000 
of  whom  were  "strangers,"  i.e.,  mercenary  troops, 
and  among  these  we  find  1,000  Portuguese,  com- 
manded by  one  Diego  Suarez  d'Albergaria,  nick- 
named Galego.  So  the  Portuguese,  as  we  shall  see, 
played  important  parts  on  both  sides  of  the  great 
war  that  followed.  After  capturing  the  frontier 
defences,  the  Burmans  marched  across  the  country 
through  the  forests  "  that  were  cut  down  by  three- 
score thousand  pioneers,  whom  the  King  had  sent 
before  to  plane  the  passages  and  wayes,"  and  sat 
down  before  the  devoted  capital.  "  During  the  first 
five  days  that  the  King  of  Bramaa  had  been  before 
the  city  of  Odiaa,  he  had  bestowed  labour  and  pains 
enough,  as  well  in  making  of  trenches  and  pallisadoes, 
as  in  the  providing  all  things  necessary  for  the  siege  ; 
in  all  which  time  the  besieged  never  offered  to  stir, 
whereof  Diego  Suarez,  the  marshall  of  the  camp, 
resolved  to  execute  the  design  for  which  he  came  ;  to 
which  effect,  of  the  most  part  of  the  men  which  he 
had  under  his  command,  he  made  two  separated 
squadrons,  in  each  of  which  there  were  six  battal- 
ions of  six  thousand  a  piece.  After  this  manner  he 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       41 

marched  in  battell  array,  at  the  sound  of  many  in- 
struments, towards  the  two  poynts  which  the  city 
made  on  the  south  side,  because  the  entrance  there 
seemed  more  facile  to  him  than  any  other  where.  So 
upon  the  19th  day  of  June,  in  the  year  1548,  an 
hour  before  day,  all  these  men  of  war,  having  set  up 
above  a  thousand  ladders  against  the  walls,  en- 
deavoured to  mount  up  on  them ;  but  the  besieged 
opposed  them  so  valiently,  that  in  less  than  half  an 
hour  there  remained  dead  on  the  place  above  ten 
thousand  on  either  part.  In  the  mean  time  the  King, 
who  incouraged  his  souldiers,  seeing  the  ill  success  of 
this  fight,  commanded  these  to  retreat,  and  then 
made  the  wall  to  be  assaulted  afresh,  making  use  for 
that  effect  of  five  thousand  elephants  of  war  which  he 
had  brought  thither  and  divided  into  twenty  troops  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  apiece,  upon  whom  there  were 
twenty  thousand  Moens  and  C/ialeus,  choice  men  and 
that  had  double  pay.  The  wall  was  then  assaulted  by 
these  forces  with  so  terrible  an  impetuosity  as  I  want 
words  to  express  it.  For  whereas  all  the  elephants 
carried  wooden  castles  on  their  backs,  from  whence 
they  shot  with  muskets,  brass  eulverins,  and  a  great 
number  of  harquebuses  a  crock,  each  of  them  ten  or 
twelve  spans  long,  these  guns  made  such  an  havock 
of  the  besieged  that  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
the  most  of  them  were  beaten  down  ;  the  elephants 
withall  setting  their  trunks  to  the  target  fences,  which 
served  as  battlements,  and  wherewith  they  within  de- 
fended themselves,  tore  them  down  in  such  sort  as 
not  one  of  them  remained  entire  ;  so  that  by  this 
means  the  wall  was  abandoned  of  all  defence,  no  man 
4 


42  SIAM 

daring  to  shew  himself  above.  In  this  sort  was  the 
entry  into  the  city  very  easy  to  the  assailants,  who 
being  invited  by  so  good  success  to  make  their  profit 
of  so  favourable  an  occasion,  set  up  their  ladders  again 
which  they  had  quitted,  and  mounting  up  by  them  to 
the  top  of  the  wall  with  a  world  of  cries  and  acclama- 
tions, they  planted  thereon  in  sign  of  victory  a  num- 
ber of  banners  and  ensigns.  Kow  because  the  Turks 
(Arabs  ?)  desired  to  have  therein  a  better  share  then 
the  rest,  they  besought  the  King  to  do  them  so  much 
favour  as  to  give  them  the  vantguard,  which  the  King 
easily  granted  them,  and  that  by  the  counsell  of  Diego 
Snares,  who  desired  nothing  more  than  to  see  their 
number  lessened,  always  gave  them  the  most  danger- 
ous imployments.  They  in  the  mean  time  extra- 
ordinarily contented,  whither  more  rash  or  more  in- 
fortunate  than  the  rest,  sliding  down  by  a  pane  of 
the  wall,  descended  through  a  bulwark  into  a  place 
which  was  below,  with  an  intent  to  open  a  gate  and 
give  an  entrance  unto  the  King,  to  the  end  that  they 
might  rightly  boast  that  they  all  alone  had  delivered 
to  him  the  capital  city  of  Siam /  for  he  had  before 
promised  to  give  unto  whomsoever  should  deliver  up 
the  city  unto  him,  a  thousand  bisses  of  gold,  which  in 
value  are  five  hundred  thousand  ducates  of  our  money. 
These  Turks  being  gotten  down,  as  I  have  said, 
laboured  to  break  open  a  gate  with  two  rams  which 
they  had  brought  with  them  for  that  purpose  ;  but  as 
they  were  occupied  about  it  they  saw  themselves 
suddenly  charged  by  three  thousand  Jaos,  all  resolute 
souldiers,  who  fell  upon  them  with  such  fury,  as  in 
little  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  there  was  not 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       43 

so  much  as  one  Turk  left  alive  in  the  place,  where- 
with not  contented,  they  mounted  up  immediately  to 
the  top  of  the  wall,  and  so  flesht  as  they  were  and 
covered  over  with  the  blood  of  the  Turks,  they  set 
upon  the  Uramad's  men  which  they  found  there,  so 
valiently  that  most  of  them  were  slain  and  the  rest 
tumbled  down  over  the  wall. 

"The  King  of  Bramaa  redoubling  his  courage 
would  not  for  all  that  give  over  this  assault,  so  as 
imagining  that  those  elephants  alone  would  be  able 
to  give  him  an  entry  into  the  city,  he  caused  them 
once  again  to  approach  unto  the  wall.  At  the  noise 
hereof  Oyaa  Passilico,  captain  general  of  the  city, 
ran  in  all  haste  to  this  part  of  the  wall,  and  caused 
the  gate  to  be  opened  through  which  the  Bramaa, 
pretended  to  enter,  and  then  sent  him  word  that 
whereas  he  was  given  to  understand  how  his  High- 
ness had  promised  to  give  a  thousand  bisses  of  gold, 
he  had  now  performed  it  so  that  he  might  enter  if  he 
would  make  good  his  word  and  send  him  the  gold, 
which  he  stayed  there  to  receive.  The  King  of  Bra- 
maa  having  received  this  jear,  would  not  vouchsafe 
to  give  an  answer,  but  instantly  commanded  the  city 
to  be  assaulted.  The  fight  began  so  terrible  as  it  was 
a  dreadfull  thing  to  behold,  the  rather  for  that  the 
violence  of  it  lasted  above  three  whole  hours,  during 
the  which  time  the  gate  was  twice  forced  open,  and 
twice  the  assailants  got  an  entrance  into  the  city, 
which  the  King  of  Slam  no  sooner  perceived,  and 
that  all  was  in  danger  to  be  lost,  but  he  ran  speedily 
to  oppose  them  with  his  followers,  the  best  souldiers 
that  were  in  all  the  city :  whereupon  the  conflict  grew 


44:  SIAM 

much  hotter  than  before,  and  continued  half  an  hour 
and  better,  during  the  which  I  do  riot  know  what 
passed,  nor  can  say  any  other  thing  save  that  we  saw 
streams  of  bloud  running  every  where  and  the  air  all 
of  a  light  fire  ;  there  was  also  on  either  part  such  a 
tumult  and  noise,  as  one  would  have  said  the  earth 
had  been'  tottering ;  for  it  was  a  most  dreadful  thing 
to  hear  the  discord  and  jarring  of  those  barbarous  in- 
struments, as  bells,  drums,  and  trumpets,  intermingled 
with  the  noise  of  the  great  ordnance  and  smaller  shot, 
and  the  dreadful  yelling  of  six  thousand  elephants, 
whence  ensued  so  great  a  terrour  that  it  took  from 
them  that  heard  it  both  courage  and  strength.  Die- 
go Suarez  then,  seeing  their  forces  quite  repulsed  out 
of  the  city,  the  most  part  of  the  elephants  hurt,  and 
the  rest  so  scared  with  the  noise  of  the  great  ordnance, 
as  it  was  impossible  to  make  them  return  unto  the 
wall,  counselled  the  King  to  sound  a  retreat,  where- 
unto  the  King  yielded,  though  much  against  his  will, 
because  he  observed  that  both  he  and  the  most  part 
of  the  Portugals  were  wounded." 

The  king's  wound  took  seventeen  days  to  heal,  a 
breathing  space  which  we  can  imagine  both  sides  ac- 
cepted with  satisfaction.  Nothing  daunted  by  the 
failure  of  his  first  onset,  he  attacked  the  city  again 
and  again  during  the  four  months  of  the  siege,  em- 
ploying against  it  the  machines  and  devices  of  a 
Greek  engineer  in  his  service,  and  achieving  prodigies 
of  valor.  At  length,  upon  the  suggestion  of  his 
Portuguese  captain,  he  began  "  with  bavins  and  green 
turf  to  erect  a  kind  of  platform  higher  than  the 
walls,  and  thereon  mounted  good  store  of  great  ord- 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       45 

nance,  wherewith  the  principal  fortifications  of  the 
city  should  be  battered.''  Considering  the  exhausted 
state  of  the  defenders  it  is  likely  that  this  elaborate 
effort  would  have  succeeded,  but  before  the  critical 
moment  arrived  word  came  from  home  that  the 
"  Xemindoo  being  risen  up  in  Pegu  had  cut  fifteen 
thousand  Bramaas  there  in  pieces,  and  had  withal 
seized  on  the  principal  places  of  the  country.  At 
these  news  the  King  was  so  troubled,  that  without 
further  delay  he  raised  the  siege  and  imbarqued  him- 
self on  a  river  called  Pc<carau,  where  he  stayed  but 
that  night  and  the  day  following,  which  he  imployed 
in  retiring  his  great  ordnance  and  ammunition.  Then 
Laving  set  fire  on  all  the  pallisadoes  and  lodgings  of 
the  camp,  he  parted  away  on  Tuesday  the  15th  of 
October,  1548,  for  to  go  to  the  town  of  Martabano." 
So  was  Ayuthia  honorably  saved,  but  Pinto,  we  fear, 
followed  with  his  countryman  Diego  in  the  Bramaa's 
train,  for  he  has  much  to  say  henceforth  of  the  civil 
disturbance  in  Burma  and  the  Xemindoo's  final  sup- 
pression, but  of  Siam,  excepting  a  brief  description  of 
the  country,  he  tells  us  nothing  more. 

About  a  century  after  Pinto's  stay  in  Siam  an- 
other adventurer  found  his  way  thither  while  seek- 
ing his  fortune  in  the  golden  Orient  and  encoun- 
tered there  such  vicissitudes  of  experience  as  to  rival 
in  picturesqueness  and  wonder  the  tales  of  the  Ara- 
bian Nights.  This  was  the  Greek  sailor,  Constantino 
Phaulcon,  whose  story,  even  when  stripped  of  the 
extravagant  embellishments  with  which  the  devout 
priest,  his  biographer,  has  adorned  it,  is  marvellous 
enough  to  deserve  a  place  in  the  annals  of  travel  and 


46  SIAM 

adventure.  His  strange  life  has  been  woven  into  a 
romance,  "Phanlcon  the  Adventurer,"  by  William 
Dalton,  but  the  following  sketch  of  his  career,  con- 
densed from  Sir  John  Bowring's  translation  of  Pere 
d'Orleans'  "  Histoire  de  M.  Constance,"  printed  in 
Tours  in  1690,  is  a  better  authority  for  our  pur- 
pose. 

Constantino  Phaulcon,  or  Falcon,  born  in  Cepha- 
lonia,  was  the  son  of  a  Venetian  nobleman  and  a 
Greek  lady  of  rank.  Owing  to  his  parents'  poverty, 
however,  he  left  home  when  a  mere  boy  to  shift  for 
himself,  and  presently  drifted  into  the  employ  of  the 
English  East  India  Company.  After  several  years 
passed  in  this  service  he  accumulated  mone}T  enough 
to  buy  a  ship  and  embark  in  speculations  of  his  own, 
-but  three  shipwrecks  following  in  rapid  succession 
brought  him  at  length  into  a  desperate  plight  of  pov- 
erty and  debt.  Being  cast  in  his  third  misadventure 
upon  the  Malabar  coast,  he  there  found  a  fellow 
sufferer,  the  sole  survivor  of  a  like  catastrophe,  who 
proved  to  be  the  Siamese  ambassador  to  Persia  re- 
turning from  his  mission.  Phaulcon  was  able  with 
the  little  money  saved  in  his  belt  to  assist  the  ambas- 
sador to  Ayuthia,  where  that  officer  in  gratitude 
recommended  him  to  the  Baraclan  (prime-minister) 
and  the  king,  both  of  whom  were  delighted  with  his 
ability  and  determined  to  make  use  of  him.  He  was 
first  taken  into  favor,  it  is  said,  from  the  address 
with  which  he  supplanted  the  Moors  in  the  employ- 
ment, which  seemed  to  have  been  made  over  to 
them,  of  preparing  the  splendid  entertainments  and 
pageants  that  were  the  king's  chief  pride.  Reforms 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       47 

introduced  into  tins  office  resulted  in  the  production 
of  much  more  effective  spectacles  at  a  smaller  ex- 
pense to  the  treasury,  for  the  Moors  had  indulged  in 
some  knavish  practices,  and  when  their  dishonesty 
was  discovered  by  the  Greek  his  high  place  in  the 
sovereign's  estimation  was  fully  assured. 

At  this  time  his  prosperity  was  interrupted  by  a 
severe  illness  that  well-nigh  proved  fatal  to  the  new 
favorite,  but  was  turned  to  good  account  by  Father 
Antoine  Thomas,  a  Flemish  Jesuit,  who  was  passing 
through  Siam  on  his  way  to  join  the  Portuguese 
missions  in  China  and  Japan.  Thoroughly  alive  to 
the  importance  of  securing  so  powerful  a  man  to  the 
Roman  Church,  the  good  father  adroitly  converted 
the  invalid,  and  at  last  had  the  satisfaction  of  receiv- 
ing from  Phaulcon  abjuration  of  his  errors  and  here- 
sies and  numbering  him  among  the  faithful.  By 
the  priest's  advice,  also,  "  he  married,  a  few  days 
afterward,  a  young  Japanese  lady  of  good  family, 
distinguished  not  only  by  rank,  but  also  by  the  blood 
of  the  martyrs  from  whom  she  was  descended  and 
whose  virtues  she  imitates."  It  is  an  interesting  epi- 
sode in  the  history  of  Siam  that  for  about  a  genera- 
tion near  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century 
there  existed,  besides  the  free  intercourse  with  West- 
ern nations,  an  active  exchange  of  commodities  be- 
tween tins  part  of  Cochin  China  and  Japan,  many 
of  whose  merchants  found  good  employments  un- 
der Phra  Narain,  the  Siamese  king.  They  proved 
themselves,  however,  to  be  such  profound  schemers 
as  finally  to  earn  the  hatred  of  the  natives,  who 
drove  them  out  in  1632.  Soon  after  this  date 


48  SIAM 

Japan  adopted  a  policy  of  complete  exclusion  and 
we  hear  no  more  of  her  subjects  in  any  foreign 
country. 

"  If,  as  a  man  of  talent,"  continues  Pere  d'Orleans, 
"  Phaulcon  knew  how  to  avail  himself  of  the  royal 
favor  to  establish  his  own  fortune,  he  used  it  no  less 
faithfully  for  the  glory  of  his  master  and  the  good  of 
the  state  ;  still  more,  as  a  true  Christian,  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  religion.  Up  to  this  time  he  had  aimed 
chiefly  to  increase  commerce,  which  occupies  the  at- 
tention of  Oriental  sovereigns  far  more  than  politics, 
and  had  succeeded  so  well  that  the  king  of  Siam  was 
now  one  of  the  richest  monarchs  in  Asia ;  but  he 
considered  that,  having  enriched,  he  should  now  en- 
deavor to  render  his  Sovereign  illustrious  by  making 
known  to  foreign  nations  the  noble  qualities  which 
distinguished  him ;  and  his  chief  aim  being  the  es- 
tablishment of  Christianity  in  Siam,  he  resolved  to 
engage  his  master  to  form  treaties  of  friendship  with 
those  European  monarchs  who  were  most  capable  of 
advancing  this  object." 

We  must  be  cautious,  however,  in  accepting  all  his 
motives  from  his  Jesuit  biographer,  who  doubtless 
does  him  too  much  honor.  According  to  the  Dutch 
historian  Kampfer,  Phaulcon  had  the  fate  of  all  his 
kind  ever  before  his  eyes,  and  the  better  to  secure  him- 
self in  his  exalted  position,  "  he  thought  it  necessary 
to  secure  it  by  some  foreign  power,  of  which  he 
judged  the  French  nation  to  be  the  most  proper  for 
seconding  his  designs,  which  appeared  even  to  aim  at 
the  royal  dignity.  In  order  to  do  this  he  made  his 
sovereign  believe  that  by  the  assistance  of  the  said 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       49 

nation  lie  might  polish  his  subjects  and  put  his  do- 
minion into  a  flourishing  condition." 

Whatever  his  intentions,  it  is  certain  that  Phaulcon 
carried  his  point,  and  an  embassy  was  sent  to  the 
court  of  Louis  XIV.  In  return  the  Chevalier  de 
Chaumont,  accompanied  by  a  considerable  retinue, 
and  bearing  royal  gifts  and  letters,  was  despatched  to 
Siam,  where  he  arrived  in  September,  1685,  and  was 
splendidly  received.  Phaulcon  was,  of  course,  fore- 
most among  the  dignitaries  ;  the  shipwrecked  adven- 
turer, who  had  risen  from  the  position  of  common 
sailor  to  the  post  of  premier  in  a  rich  and  thriving 
realm,  found  himself  receiving  on  terms  of  equality 
and  in  a  style  of  magnificence  that,  even  to  European 
eyes,  seemed  admirable,  the  ambassador  of  the  most 
illustrious  king  in  Europe.  Whether  his  loyalty  to 
the  sovereign  whom  he  was  bound  to  serve  was  always 
quite  above  the  suspicion  of  intrigue  with  the  French 
is  more  than  doubtful.  He  greatly  desired  on  his 
own  behalf  to  effect  the  conversion  of  the  king  to 
Catholicism,  and  did  what  he  could  to  support  the 
arguments  of  the  French  envoy  to  this  end.  But 
the  king,  who  was  a  shrewd  man,  refused  to  abandon 
the  religion  of  his  ancestors  for  that  of  these  design- 
ing foreigners. 

"  Phaulcon  had  long  thought,"  says  the  Pere  d'Or- 
leans,  "of  bringing  to  Siam  Jesuits  who,  like  those 
in  China,  might  introduce  the  Gospel  at  court  through 
the  mathematical  sciences,  especially  astronomy.  Six 
Jesuits  having  profited  by  so  good  an  occasion  as  that 
of  the  embassy  of  the  Chevalier  de  Chaumont  to  stop 
in  Siam  on  their  way  to  China,  M.  Constance  upon 


50  SIAM 

seeing  them  begged  that  some  might  be  sent  to  him 
from  France ;  and  for  this  especial  object  Father 
Tacliard,  one  of  the  six,  was  requested  to  return  to 
Europe."  This  was  really  the  first  step  in  Phaulcon's 
ruin ;  for,  aware  that  his  master  could  not  in  this 
way  encourage  the  Christians  without  incurring  the 
hatred  of  both  the  Buddhists  and  Mohammedans  in 
the  kingdom,  lie  conceived  the  plan  of  begging  Louis 
for  some  French  troops  ostensibly  to  accompany  and 
support  the  missionaries,  but  practically  to  sustain  his 
influence  by  force,  and  in  the  event  of  defeat  to  hand 
the  country  over  to  France.  Three  officers  returned 
with  M.  de  Chaumont  and  effected  a  treaty  whereby 
Louis  promised  to  send  some  troops  to  the  Siamese 
king,  "  not  only  to  instruct  his  own  in  our  discipline, 
but  also  to  be  at  his  disposal  according  as  he  should 
need  them  for  the  security  of  his  person,  or  for  that 
of  his  kingdom.  In  the  mean  time  the  king  of  Siam 
would  appoint  the  French  soldiers  to  guard  two 
places  where  they  would  be  commanded  by  their 
own  officers  under  the  authority  of  this  monarch." 
The  troops  and  a  dozen  missionaries  set  out  under 
Father  Tachard's  charge  in  1686. 

But  ere  they  arrived  trouble  was  brewing  in  Siam. 
"  The  Mohammedans,"  says  the  historian,  "had  long 
flattered  themselves  with  the  hope  of  inducing  the 
king  and  people  of  Siam  to  accept  the  Koran  ;  but 
when  they  saw  the  monarch  thus  closely  allying  him- 
self with  Christians,  their  fears  were  greatty  excited  ; 
and  the  great  difference  which  had  been  made  be- 
tween the  French  and  Persian  ambassadors,  in  the 
honors  shown  them  in  their  audiences  with  his 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       51 

majesty,  had  so  much  increased  the  apprehensions  of 
the  infidels  that  they  resolved  to  avert  the  appre- 
hended misfortune  by  attempting  the  life  of  the 
king.  The  authors  of  this  evil  design  were  two 
princes  of  Champa  and  a  prince  of  Macassar,  all  of 
them  refugees  in  Siatn,  where  the  king  had  offered 
them  an  asylum  against  some  powerful  enemies  of 
their  own  countries.  A  Malay  captain  encouraged 
them  by  prophecies  which  he  circulated  among  the 
zealots  of  his  own  sect,  of  whom  he  shortly  assembled 
a  sufficient  number  to  carry  out  the  conspiracy,  had 
it  not  been  discovered  ;  which,  however,  it  was" —  and 
promptly  suppressed  by  the  minister,  to  his  great  credit 
and  honor  at  court.  Phaulcon  then  was  at  the  pin- 
nacle of  his  power  when  the  Frenchmen  landed,  an 
audience  was  granted  and  ratifications  exchanged. 

"  M.  Constance  had  already  so  high  an  esteem  for 
our  great  king  [Louis],  and  the  king  of  Siam,  his 
master,  had  entered  so  entirely  into  his  sentiments, 
that  this  sovereign,  thinking  the  French  troops  were 
not  sufficiently  near  his  person,  determined  to  ask 
from  the  king,  in  addition  to  the  troops  already 
landed,  a  company  of  two  hundred  body-guards.  As 
there  was  much  to  arrange  between  the  two  monarchs 
for  the  establishment  of  religion,  not  only  in  Siam, 
but  in  many  other  places  where  M.  Constance  hoped 
to  spread  it,  they  resolved  that  Father  Tachard  should 
return  to  France,  accompanied  by  three  mandarins,  to 
present  to  his  majesty  the  letter  from  their  king; 
and  that  he  should  thence  proceed  to  Rome,  to  solicit 
from  the  Pope  assistance  in  preserving  tranquillity 
and  spreading  Christianity  in  the  Indies. 


52  8IAM 

"  Father  Tachard,  having  received  from  the  king 
and  his  minister  the  necessary  orders,  left  his  com- 
panions under  the  direction  of  M.  Constance,  and 
quitted  Siam,  accompanied  by  the  envoys-extraor- 
dinary of  the  king,  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1686. 
He  reached  Brest  in  the  month  of  July  in  the  same 
year. 

"  Never  was  negotiation  more  successful.  Occu- 
pied as  was  the  king  in  waging  war  with  the  greater 
part  of  Europe,  leagued  against  him  by  the  Protes- 
tant party,  he  made  no  delay  in  equipping  vessels  to 
convey  to  the  king  of  Siam  the  guards  which  he  had 
requested." 

It  is  certainly  not  surprising  that  some  of  the 
Siamese  noblemen  should  have  looked  with  suspicion 
on  the  extraordinary  measures  which  Phaulcon  h;id 
inaugurated.  With  a  French  military  force  in  pos- 
session of  some  of  the  most  important  points  in  the 
kingdom,  and  with  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  se- 
curing for  itself  something  like  a  dominant  establish- 
ment, it  is  no  wonder  that  conspiracies  against  the 
authors  of  the  new  movement  should  be  repeated 
and  ultimately  successful.  The  king  had  no  male 
heir ;  and  it  seemed  to  a  nobleman  named  Pitraxa 
that  the  succession  might  as  well  come  to  him  as  to 
the  foreigner  who  had  already  risen  to  such  a  dan- 
gerous authority  This  time  the  conspiracy  was 
more  audaciously  and  triumphantly  carried  out.  The 
king,  who  was  beginning  to  grow  old  and  infirm,  was 
taken  sick,  and  during  his  illness  Pitraxa  got  pos- 
session of  the  royal  seals,  and  by  means  of  them  se- 
cured supplies  of  arms  and  powder  for  the  further- 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       53 

ance  of  his  designs.  The  crisis  rapidly  approached. 
Phaulcon  determined  to  arrest  the  chief  conspirator, 
but  was  for  once  outwitted.  The  French  forces  which 
lie  summoned  to  his  assistance  were  intercepted  and 
turned  back  by  a  false  report.  Pitraxa  made  him- 
self master  of  the  palace,  of  the  person  of  the  king, 
and  of  all  the  royal  family.  It  was  evident  to  Phaul- 
con that  the  end  had  come.  His  resolution  was 
taken  accordingly. 

"  Having  with  him  a  few  Frenchmen,  two  Portu- 
guese, and  sixteen  English  soldiers,  he  called  these 
together,  and,  with  his  confessor,  entered  his  chapel 
that  he  might  prepare  for  the  death  which  appeared 
to  await  him ;  whence  passing  into  his  wife's  cham- 
ber, he  bade  her  farewell,  saying  that  the  king  was  a 
prisoner,  and  that  he  would  die  at  his  feet.  He  then 
went  out  to  go  direct  to  the  palace,  flattering  him- 
self that  with  the  small  number  of  Europeans  who 
followed  him,  he  should  be  able  to  make  his  way 
through  the  Indians,  who  endeavored  to  arrest  him, 
so  as  to  reach  the  king.  He  would  have  succeeded 
had  his  followers  been  as  determined  as  himself ;  but 
on  entering  the  first  court  of  the  palace,  he  was  sud- 
denly surrounded  by  a  troop  of  Siamese  soldiers. 
He  was  putting  himself  into  a  defensive  attitude 
when  he  perceived  that  he  was  abandoned  by  all  his 
suite  except  the  French,  so  that  the  contest  was  too 
unequal  to  be  long  maintained.  He  was  obliged 
to  yield  to  the  force  of  numbers,  and  he  and  the 
Frenchmen  with  him  were  made  prisoners  and 
loaded  with  irons." 

It  remained  for  the  usurper  to  rid  himself  of  the 


54:  8IAM 

French  soldiers,  wno  were  still  in  possession  of  the 
two  most  considerable  places  in  the  country.  Under 
a  false  pretext  he  won  over  to  himself,  temporarily, 
the  commander  of  the  French  forces.  "  Upon  this, 
six  French  officers  who  were  at  court,  finding  their 
safety  endangered,  resolved  to  leave  and  retire  to 
Bangkok.  They  armed  themselves,  mounted  on 
horseback,  and  under  pretence  of  a  ride,  easily  es- 
caped from  the  guard  Pitraxa  had  appointed  to  ac- 
company them.  It  is  true  that,  for  the  one  they  had 
got  rid  of,  they  found  between  Louvo  and  the  river 
troops  at  different  intervals,  which,  however,  they 
easily  passed.  On  reaching  the  river  they  discov- 
ered a  boat  filled  with  talapoins,  which  they  seized, 
driving  away  its  occupants.  As,  however,  they  did 
not  take  the  precaution  of  tying  down  the  rowers, 
they  had  the  vexation  of  having  them  escape  under 
cover  of  the  night,  each  swimming  away  from  his 
own  side  of  the  boat.  Compelled  to  row  it  them- 
selves, they  soon  became  so  weary  that  they  deter- 
mined to  land,  and  continue  their  journey  on  foot. 
This  was  not  without  its  difficulties,  as  the  people, 
warned  by  the  talapoins  whose  boat  had  been  seized, 
and  by  the  fugitive  rowers,  assembled  in  troops  upon 
the  river-side,  uttering  loud  cries.  ^Notwithstanding 
this,  they  leaped  out,  and  gained  the  plains  of  Ayu- 
thia,  where,  most  unfortunately,  they  lost  their  way. 
The  populace  still  followed  them,  and  though  not 
venturing  to  approach  very  near,  never  lost  sight  of 
them  and  continued  to  annoy  them  as  much  as  pos- 
sible. They  might,  after  all,  have  escaped,  had  not 
hunger  compelled  them  to  enter  into  a  parley  for  a 


THE  STORIES  OF   TWO  ADVENTURERS       55 

supply  of  provisions.  In  answer,  they  were  told  that 
they  would  not  be  listened  to  until  they  had  laid  down 
their  arms.  Then  these  cowardly  wretches,  instead 
of  furnishing  them  with  provisions,  threw  themselves 
upon  them,  stripped  them,  and  carried  them  bound 
to  Ayuthia,  whence  they  were  sent  back  to  Lbuvo 
most  unworthily  treated.  A  troop  of  three  hundred 
Mohammedans,  which  Pitraxa  on  learning  their  flight 

r  o  O 

sent  in  pursuit  of  them,  and  which  met  them  on  their 
return,  treated  them  so  brutally  that  one  named  Brecy 
died  from  the  blows  they  inflicted.  The  rest  were 
committed  to  prison  on  their  arrival  at  Louvo. 

"  From  this  persecution  of  the  French  fugitives, 
the  infidels  insensibly  passed  to  persecuting  all  the 
Christians  in  Siam,  as  soon  as  they  learned  that  M. 
Desfarges  was  on  the  road  to  join  Pitraxa  ;  for  from 
that  time  the  tyrant,  giving  way  to  the  suspicions  in- 
fused by  crime  and  ambition,  no  longer  preserved  an 
appearance  of  moderation  toward  those  he  hated. 
His  detestation  of  the  Christians  had  been  for  some 
time  kept  within  bounds  by  the  esteem  he  still  felt 
for  the  French ;  but  he  had  no  sooner  heard  of  the 
deference  shown  by  their  general  to  the  orders  lie  had 
sent  him,  than,  beginning  to  fear  nothing,  he  spared 
none. 

"  As  the  prison  of  M.  Constance  was  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  palace,  no  one  knows  the  details  of  his 
sufferings.  Some  say,  that  to  make  him  confess  the 
crimes  of  which  he  was  accused,  they  burned  the 
soles  of  his  feet ;  others  that  an  iron  hoop  was  bound 
round  his  temples.  It  is  certain  that  he  was  kept  in 
a  prison  made  of  stakes,  loaded  with  three  heavy 


56  BIAM 

chains,  and  wanting  even  the  necessaries  of  life,  till 
Madame  Constance,  having  discovered  the  place  of 
his  imprisonment,  obtained  permission  to  furnish 
him  with  them. 

"  She  could  not  long  continue  to  do  so,  being  soon 
herself  in  want.  The  usurper  had  at  first  appeared 
to  respect  her  virtue,  and  had  shown  her  some  degree 
of  favor ;  he  had  restored  her  son,  who  had  been 
taken  from  her  by  the  soldiers,  and  exculpated  him- 
self from  the  robbery.  But  these  courtesies  were 
soon  discontinued.  The  virtues  of  Madame  Con- 
stance had  for  a  time  softened  the  ferocity  of  the  ty- 
rant ;  but  the  report  of  her  wealth,  which  he  sup- 
posed to  be  enormous,  excited  his  cupidity,  which 
could  not  in  any  way  be  appeased. 

"On  May  30th,  the  official  seals  of  her  husband 
were  demanded  from  her ;  the  next  day  his  arms, 
his  papers,  and  his  clothes  were  carried  off ;  another 
day  boxes  were  sealed,  and  the  keys  taken  away  ;  a 
guard  was  placed  before  her  dwelling,  and  a  sentinel 
at  the  door  of  her  room  to  keep  her  in  sight.  Hith- 
erto nothing  had  shaken  her  equanimity  ;  but  this 
last  insult  so  confounded  her,  that  she  could  not  help 
complaining.  '  What,'  exclaimed  she,  weeping, 
'  what  have  I  done  to  be  treated  like  a  criminal  ? ' 
This,  however,  was  the  only  complaint  drawn  by  ad- 
versity from  this  noble  Christian  lady  during  the 
whole  course  of  her  trials.  Even  this  emotion  of 
weakness,  so  pardonable  in  a  woman  of  two-and- 
twenty  who  had  hitherto  known  nothing  of  misfort- 
une, was  quickly  repaired ;  for  two  Jesuits  who 
happened  to  be  with  her  on  this  occasion,  having 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       57 

mildly  represented  to  her  that  Christians  who  have 
their  treasure  in  heaven,  and  who  regard  it  as  their 
country,  should  not  afflict  themselves  like  pagans  for 
the  loss  of  wealth  and  freedom — '  It  is  true,'  said  she, 
recovering  her  tranquillity :  '  I  was  wrong,  my  Fathers. 
God  gave  all ;  He  takes  all  away :  may  His  holy  name 
be  praised  !  I  pray  only  for  my  husband's  deliverance.' 

"  Scarcely  two  days  had  elapsed  after  the  placing 
of  the  seals  when  a  mandarin,  followed  by  a  hun- 
dred men,  came  to  break  them  by  order  of  his  new 
master,  and  carried  off  all  the  money,  furniture  and 
jewels  he  found  in  the  apartments  of  this  splendid 
palace.  Madame  Constance  had  the  firmness  herself 
to  conduct  him,  and  to  put  into  his  hands  all  that  he 
wished  to  take ;  after  which,  looking  at  the  Fathers, 
who  still  continued  with  her,  '  Now,'  said  she,  calmly, 
1  God  alone  remains  to  us  ;  but  none  can  separate  ns 
from  Him.' 

"  The  mandarin  having  retired  with  his  booty,  it 
was  supposed  she  was  rid  of  him,  and  that  nothing 
more  could  be  demanded  from  those  who  had  been 
plundered  of  all  their  possessions.  The  two  Jesuits 
had  left  to  return  to  their  own  dwelling,  imagining 
there  could  be  nothing  to  fear  for  one  who  had  been 
stripped  of  her  property,  and  who,  having  committed 
no  crime,  seemed  shielded  from  every  other  risk.  In 
the  evening  it  appeared  that  they  were  mistaken ; 
for,  about  six  o'clock,  the  same  mandarin,  accom- 
panied by  his  satellites,  came  to  demand  her  hidden 
treasures.  '  I  have  nothing  hidden,'  she  answered  : 
'  if  you  doubt  my  word,  you  can  look  ;  you  are  the 
master  here,  and  everything  is  open.'  So  temperate 
5 


58  SIAM 

a  reply  appeared  to  irritate  the  ruffian.  '  I  will  not 
seek,'  said  he,  *  but,  without  stirring  from  the  spot,  I 
will  compel  you  to  bring  me  what  I  ask,  or  have  you 
scourged  to  death.'  So  saying,  the  wretch  gave  the 
signal  to  the  executioners,  who  came  forward  with 
cords  to  bind,  and  thick  rattans  to  scourge  her. 
These  preparations  at  first  bewildered  the  poor  wom- 
an, thus  abandoned  to  the  fury  of  a  ferocious  brute. 
She  uttered  a  loud  cry,  and  throwing  herself  at  his 
feet  said,  with  a  look  that  might  have  touched  the 
hardest  heart,  '  Have  pity  on  me ! '  But  this  bar- 
barian answered  with  his  accustomed  fierceness,  that 
he  would  have  no  mercy  on  her,  ordering  her  to  be 
taken  and  tied  to  the  door  of  her  room,  and  having 
her  arms,  hands  and  fingers  cruelly  beaten.  At  this 
sad  spectacle,  her  grandmother,  her  relatives,  her 
servants,  and  her  son  uttered  cries  which  would  have 
moved  any  one  but  this  hardened  wretch.  The 
whole  of  the  unhappy  family  cast  themselves  at  his 
feet,  and  touching  the  ground  with  their  foreheads, 
implored  mercy,  but  in  vain.  He  continued  to  tor- 
ture her  from  seven  to  nine  o'clock ;  and  not  having 
been  able  to  gain  anything,  he  carried  her  off,  with  all 
her  family,  except  the  grandmother,  whose  great  age 
and  severe  illness  made  it  impossible  to  remove  her. 

"  For  some  time  no  one  knew  what  had  become  of 
Madame  Constance,  but  at  last  her  position  was  dis- 
covered. A  Jesuit  father  was  one  day  passing  by 
the  stables  of  her  palace,  when  the  lady's  aunt,  who 
shared  her  captivity,  begged  permission  of  the  guards 
to  address  the  holy  man,  and  ask  him  for  money, 
promising  that  they  should  share  it.  In  this  manner 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       59 

was  made  known  the  humiliating  condition  of  this 
unhappy  and  illustrious  lady,  shut  up  in  a  stable, 
where,  half  dead  from  the  sufferings  she  had  en- 
dured, she  lay  stretched  upon  a  piece  of  matting,  her 
son  at  her  side.  The  father  daily  sent  her  provis- 
ions, which  were  the  only  means  of  subsistence  for 
herself  and  family,  to  whom  she  distributed  food 
with  so  small  a  regard  for  her  own  wants,  that  a 
little  rice  and  dried  fish  were  all  that  she  took  for 
her  own  share,  she  having  made  a  vow  to  abstain 
from  meat  for  the  rest  of  her  life. 

"  Up  to  this  time,  the  grand  mandarin  had  not 
ventured  to  put  an  end  to  the  existence  of  M.  Con- 
stance, whom  the  French  general  had  sent  to  de- 
mand, as  being  under  the  protection  of  the  king,  his 
master;  but  now,  judging  that  there  was  nothing 
more  to  fear  either  from  him  or  from  his  friends,  he 
resolved  to  get  rid  of  him.  It  was  on  the  5th  of 
June,  Whitsun-eve,  that  he  ordered  his  execution  by 
the  Phaja  Sojatan,  his  son,  after  having,  without  any 
form  of  trial,  caused  to  be  read  in  the  palace  the  sen- 
tence of  death  given  by  himself  against  this  minister, 
whom  he  accused  of  having  leagued  with  his  enemies. 
This  sentence  pronounced,  the  accused  was  mounted 
on  an  elephant,  and  taken,  well  guarded,  into  the 
forest  of  Thale-Phutson,  as  if  the  tyrant  had  chosen 
the  horrors  of  solitude  to  bury  in  oblivion  an  unjust 
and  cruel  deed. 

"  Those  who  conducted  him  remarked  that  during 
the  whole  way  he  appeared  perfectly  calm,  praying 
earnestly,  and  often  repeating  aloud  the  names  of 
Jesus  and  of  Mary. 


60 

"  When  they  reached  the  place  of  execution,  he 
was  ordered  to  dismount,  and  told  that  he  must  pre- 
pare to  die.  The  approach  of  death  did  not  alarm 
him  ;  he  saw  it  near  as  lie  had  seen  it  at  a  distance, 
and  with  the  same  intrepidity.  He  asked  of  the  Soja- 
tan  only  a  few  moments  to  finish  his  prayer,  which  he 
did  kneeling,  with  so  touching  an  air,  that  these  heath- 
ens were  moved  by  it.  His  petitions  concluded,  he 
lifted  his  hands  toward  heaven,  and  protesting  his  in- 
nocence, declared  that  he  died  willingly,  having  the 
testimony  of  his  conscience  that,  as  a  minister,  he 
had  acted  solely  for  the  glory  of  the  true  God,  the 
service  of  the  King,  and  the  welfare  of  the  state ; 
that  he  forgave  his  enemies,  as  he  hoped  himself  to 
be  forgiven  by  God.  '  For  the  rest,  my  lord,'  said 
he,  turning  to  the  Sojatan,  'were  I  as  guilty  as  my 
enemies  declare  me,  my  wife  and  my  son  are  in- 
nocent :  I  commend  them  to  your  protection,  ask- 
ing for  them  neither  wealth  nor  position,  but  only 
life  and  liberty.'  Having  uttered  these  few  words, 
lie  meekly  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven,  showing  by 
his  silence  that  he  was  ready  to  receive  the  fatal 
blow. 

"  An  executioner  advanced,  and  cut  him  in  two 
with  a  back  stroke  of  his  sabre,  which  brought  him 
to  the  ground,  heaving  one  last,  long  sigh. 

"  Thus  died,  at  the  age  of  forty -one,  in  the  very 
prime  of  life,  this  distinguished  man,  whose  sublime 
genius,  political  skill,  great  energy  and  penetration, 
warm  zeal  for  religion,  and  strong  attachment  to  the 
King,  his  master,  rendered  him  worthy  of  a  longer 
life  and  of  a  happier  destiny. 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       61 

"  Who  can  describe  the  grief  of  Madame  Constance 
at  the  melancholy  news  of  her  husband's  death  ? 

"  This  illustrious  descendant  of  Japanese  martyrs 
was  subjected  to  incredible  persecutions,  which  she 
endured  to  the  end  with  heroic  constancy  and  won- 
derful resignation." 

From  this  edifying  narrative,  grandiloquent  and 
devout  by  turns,  and  written  from  the  Jesuit  point 
of  view,  it  is  sufficiently  surprising  to  turn  to  Ka'mp- 
fer's  brief  and  prosaic  account  of  the  same  events. 
According  to  him  the  intrigue  and  treachery  was 
wholly  ou  the  side  of  Phaulcon,  who  had  planned  to 
place  on  the  throne  the  king's  son-in-law,  Monpi- 
Tatso,  a  dependent  and  tool  of  his  own,  as  soon  as  the 
sick  king,  whose  increasing  dropsy  threatened  him 
with  sudden  dissolution,  should  be  dead  ;  Pitraxa  and 
his  sons,  the  king's  two  brothers,  as  presumptive 
heirs  to  the  crown,  and  whoever  else  was  like  to  op- 
pose the  conspirator's  designs,  were  to  be  despatched 
out  of  the  way.  "  Pursuant  to  this  scheme,  JVIoupi's 
father  and  relations  had  already  raised  one  thousand 
four  hundred  men,  who  lay  dispersed  through  the 
country  ;  and  the  better  to  facilitate  the  execution  of 
this  design,  Phaulcon  persuaded  the  sick  king,  hav- 
ing found  means  to  introduce  himself  into  his  apart- 
ment in  private,  that  it  would  be  very  much  for  the 
security  of  his  person,  during  the  ill  state  of  his 
health,  to  send  for  the  French  general  and  part  of  his 
garrison  up  to  Louvo,  where  the  king  then  was,  being 
a  city  fifteen  leagues  north  of  Ayuthia,  and  the  usual 
place  of  the  king's  residence,  where  he  used  to  spend 
the  greater  part  of  his  time.  General  des  Farges  be- 


62  SIAM 

ing  on  his  way  thither,  the  conspiracy  was  discovered 
by  Pitraxa's  own  son,  who  happening  to  be  with  two 
of  the  king's  concubines  in  an  apartment  adjoining 
that  where  the  conspirators  were,  had  the  curiosity 
to  listen  at  the  door,  and  having  heard  the  bloody 
resolution  that  had  been  taken,  immediately  repaired 
to  his  father  to  inform  him  of  it.  Pitraxa  without 
loss  of  time  acquainted  the  king  with  this  conspiracy, 
and  then  sent  for  Moupi,  Phaulcon,  and  the  man- 
darins of  their  party,  as  also  for  the  captain  of  the 
guards,  to  court,  and  caused  the  criminals  forthwith 
to  be  put  in  irons,  notwithstanding  the  king  ex- 
pressed the  greatest  displeasure  at  his  so  doing. 
Phaulcon  had  for  some  time  absented  himself  from 
court,  but  now  being  summoned,  he  could  no  longer 
excuse  himself,  though  dreading  some  ill  event :  it  is 
said  he  took  leave  of  his  family  in  a  very  melancholy 
manner.  Soon  after,  his  silver  chair,  wherein  he 
was  usually  carried,  came  back  empty — a  bad  omen 
to  his  friends  and  domestics,  who  could  not  but  pre- 
pare themselves  to  partake  in  their  master's  misfort- 
une. This  happened  May  19th,  in  the  year  1689. 
Two  days  after,  Pitraxa  ordered,  against  the  king's 
will,  Moupi's  head  to  be  struck  off,  throwing  it  at 
Phaulcon's  feet,  then  loaded  with  irons,  with  this 
reproach:  'See,  there  is  your  king!'  The  unfort- 
unate sick  king,  heartily  sorry  for  the  death  of  his 
dearest  Moupi,  earnestly  desired  that  the  deceased's 
body  might  not  be  exposed  to  any  further  shame, 
but  decently  buried,  which  was  accordingly  complied 
with.  Moupi's  father  was  seized  by  stratagem  upon 
his  estate  between  Ayuthia  and  Louvo,  and  ail  their 


THE  STORIES  OF  TWO  ADVENTURERS       63 

adherents  were  dispersed.  Phaulcon,  after  having 
been  tortured  and  starved  for  fourteen  days,  and 
thereby  reduced  almost  to  a  skeleton,  had  at  last  his 
irons  taken  off,  and  was  carried  away  after  sunset  in 
an  ordinary  chair,  unknowing  what  would  be  his  fate. 
He  was  first  carried  to  his  house,  which  he  found 
rifled  :  his  wife  lay  a  prisoner  in  the  stable,  who,  far 
from  taking  leave  of  him,  spit  in  his  face,  and  would 
not  so  much  as  suffer  him  to  kiss  his  only  remaining 
son  of  four  years  of  age,  another  son  being  lately  dead 
and  still  unburied.  From  thence  he  was  carried  out 
of  town  to  the  place  of  execution,  where,  notwith- 
standing all  hig  reluctancy,  he  had  his  head  cut  off. 
His  body  was  divided  into  two  parts,  and  covered 
with  a  little  earth,  which  the  dogs  scratched  away  in 
the  night-time,  and  devoured  the  corpse  to  the  bones. 
Before  he  died  he  took  his  seal,  two  silver  crosses,  a 
relic  set  in  gold  which  he  wore  on  his  breast,  being  a 
present  from  the  Pope,  as  also  the  order  of  St.  Mi- 
chael which  was  sent  him  by  the  King  of  France,  and 
delivered  them  to  a  mandarin  who  stood  by,  desiring 
him  to  give  them  to  his  little  son — presents,  indeed, 
that  could  be  of  no  great  use  to  the  poor  child,  who 
to  this  day,  with  his  mother,  goes  begging  from  door 
to  door,  nobody  daring  to  intercede  for  them."  * 

It  seems  to  be  growing  every  year  more  difficult  to 
form  positive  opinions  concerning  the  various  char- 
acters with  whom  history  makes  us  acquainted,  and 
we  have  here  a  sufficiently  wide  choice  between  two 
opposite  estimates  of  poor  Phaulcon.  But  whichever 

*  History  of  Japan,  vol.  i.,  pp.  19-21.  London,  1728;  quoted 
in  Bowriug. 


64  SIAM 

estimate  we  adopt,  it  remains  abundantly  evident 
that  his  career  is  one  of  the  most  romantic  and  extra- 
ordinary in  the  world.  Venetian  by  descent,  Greek 
by  birth,  English  by  avocation,  Siamese  by  choice 
and  fortune  ;  at  first  almost  a  beggar,  a  shipwrecked 
adventurer  against  whom  fate  seemed  hopelessly  ad- 
verse, he  became  the  chief  actor  in  a  scheme  of  do- 
minion which  might  have  given  to  France  a  realm 
rivalling  in  wealth  and  grandeur  the  British  posses- 
sions in  India. 

Some  traces  of  the  public  works  of  which  Phaul- 
con  was  the  founder  still  remain  to  show  the  nature 
of  the  internal  improvements  which  he  inaugurated. 
His  scheme  of  foreign  alliance  was  a  failure,  but  that 
he  did  much  to  develop  the  resources  of  the  king- 
dom there  would  seem  to  be  no  doubt.  "  At  Lop- 
haburi,"  says  Sir  John  Bowring,  "  a  city  founded 
about  A.D.  600,  the  palace  of  Phaulcon  still  exists  ; 
and  there  are  the  remains  of  a  Christian  church 
founded  by  him,  in  which,  some  of  the  traditions  say. 
he  was  put  to  death.  I  brought  with  me  from  Bang- 
kok, the  capital,  one  of  the  columns  of  the  church, 
richly  carved  and  gilded,  as  a  relic  of  the  first* 
Christain  temple  erected  in  Siam,  and  as  associated 
with  the  history  of  that  singular,  long-successful  and 
finally  sacrificed  adventurer.  The  words  Jesus  Ilom- 
inum  Salvator  are  still  inscribed  over  the  canopy  of 
the  altar,  upon  which  the  image  of  Buddha  now  sits 
to  be  worshipped." 

*  Sir  John  Bowring  was  mistaken.  It  seems  to  be  well  enough 
established  that  one  or  two  Christian  churches  were  built  by  the 
Portuguese,  a  century  before  the  date  of  Phaulcon' s  career. 


CHAPTEE  V. 

MODERN    SIAM 

THE  present  king  of  Siam  is  the  fourth  in  succes- 
sion from  that  distinguished  general  who  was 
at  first  the  friend  and  companion,  and  at  last  some- 
thing like  the  murderer  of  the  renowned  Phya  Tak, 
the  founder  of  the  new  capital,  and  indeed  of  the  new 
kingdom  of  Siam.  For,  with  the  fall  of  Ayuthia  and 
the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  to  Bangkok, 
the  country  entered  on  a  new  era  of  prosperity  and 
progress.  Bangkok  is  not  far  from  sixty  miles  nearer 
to  the  mouth  of  the  river  than  Ayuthia,  arid  the  geo- 
graphical change  was  significant  of  an  advance  to- 
ward the  other  nations  of  the  world  and  of  more  in- 
timate relations  of  commerce  and  friendship  with 
them.  The  founder  of  this  dynasty  reigned  prosper- 
ously for  twenty-seven  years,  and  under  his  sway  the 
country  enjoyed  the  repose  and  peace  which  after  a 
period  of  prolonged  and  devastating  war  it  so  greatly 
needed.  After  him  his  son  continued  the  pacific  ad- 
ministration of  the  government  for  fourteen  years, 
until  1824.  At  the  death  of  this  king  (the  second  of 
the  new  dynasty),  who  left  as  heirs  to  the  throne  two 
sons  of  the  same  mother,  the  succession  was  usurped 
by  an  illegitimate  son,  who  contrived  by  cunning 
management  and  by  a  readiness  to  avail  himself  of 


66  SIAM 

force,  if  it  was  needed,  to  possess  himself  of  the 
sovereignty,  and  to  be  confirmed  in  it  by  the  nobles 
and  council  of  state.  The  two  legitimate  sons  of  the 
dead  king,  the  oldest  of  whom  had  been  expressly 
named  to  succeed  his  father,  were  placed  by  this  usur- 
pation in  a  position  of  extreme  peril  ;  and  the  elder  of 
the  two  retired  at  once  into  a  Buddhist  monastery  as 
a  talapoin,  where  he  was  safe  from  molestation  and 
could  wait  his  time  to  claim  his  birthright.  The 
younger  son,  as  having  less  to  fear,  took  public  office 
under  the  usurper  and  acquainted  himself  with  the 
cares  and  responsibilities  of  government. 

After  a  reign  of  twenty-seven  years,  closing  in  the 
year  1851,  the  usurper  died.  His  reign  was  marked 
by  some  events  of  extraordinary  interest.  His  royal 
palace  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  afterward  rebuilt 
upon  a  larger  scale  and  in  a  better  style.  And  vaii- 
ous  military  expeditions  against  adjoining  countries 
were  undertaken  with  results  of  more  or  less  impor- 
tance. The  most  interesting  of  these  expeditions  was 
that  against  the  Laos  country,  a  brief  account  of  which 
by  an  intelligent  and  able  writer  is  quoted  in  Bowring's 
book.  As  a  picture  of  the  style  of  warfare  and  the 
barbarous  cruelties  of  a  successful  campaign,  it  is  strik- 
ing and  instructive.  It  is  as  follows: 

"The  expedition  against  Laos  was  successful.  As 
usual  in  Siamese  warfare,  they  laid  waste  the  country, 
plundered  the  inhabitants,  brought  them  to  Bangkok, 
sold  them  and  gave  them  away  as  slaves.  The  prince 
Vun  Chow  and  family  made  their  escape  into  Cochin 
China  ;  but  instead  of  meeting  with  a  friendly  recep- 
tion they  were  seized  by  the  king  of  that  country  and 


MODERN  SIAM  67 

delivered  as  prisoners  to  the  Siamese.  The  king  (of 
Laos)  arrived  in  Bangkok  about  the  latter  end  of  1828, 
and  underwent  there  the  greatest  cruelties  barbarians 
could  invent.  He  was  confined  in  a  large  iron  cage, 
exposed  to  a  burning  sun,  and  obliged  to  proclaim  to 
every  one  that  the  king  of  Siam  was  great  and  merci- 
ful, that  he  himself  had  committed  a  great  error,  and 
deserved  his  present  punishment.  In  this  cage  were 
placed  with  the  prisoner  a  large  mortar  to  pound  him 
in,  a  large  boiler  to  boil  him  in,  a  hook  to  hang  him 
by  and  a  sword  to  decapitate  him ;  also  a  sharp 
pointed  spike  for  him  to  sit  on.  His  children  were 
sometimes  put  in  along  with  him.  He  was  a  mild,  re- 
spectable-looking, old,  gray-headed  man,  and  did  not 
live  long  to  gratify  his  tormentors,  death  having  put  an 
end  to  his  sufferings.  His  body  was  taken  and  hung 
in  chains  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  about  two  or  three 
miles  below  Bangkok.  The  conditions  on  which  the 
Cochin  Chinese  gave  up  Chow  Vun  Chow  were,  that 
the  king  of  Siam  would  appoint  a  new  prince  to  gov- 
ern the  Laos  country,  who  should  be  approved  of  by 
the  Cochin  Chinese,  and  that  the  court  of  Siam  should 
deliver  up  the  persons  belonging  to  the  Siamese  army 
who  attacked  and  killed  some  Cochin  Chinese  during 
the  Laos  war." 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  the  kingdom  has  by  this  time 
made  such  progress  in  civilization  that  a  picture  of 
barbarism  and  cruelty  like  that  which  is  given  in  the 
above  narrative  could  not  possibly  be  repeated  in 
Siam  to-day. 

The  reign  of  this  king  was  noteworthy  for  the 
treaty  of  commerce  between  Great  Britain  and  Siam, 


68  SIAM 

negotiated  by  Captain  Burney,  as  also  for  other  ne- 
gotiations tending  to  similar  and  larger  intercourse 
with  other  countries,  especially  with  the  United 
States.  But  the  concessions  granted  were  ungener- 
ous, and  a  spirit  of  jealousy  and  dislike  continued  to 
govern  the  conduct  of  Siam  toward  other  nations. 

Notwithstanding  the  slow  growth  of  that  enlight- 
ened confidence  which  is  the  only  sure  guaranty  of 
commercial  prosperity,  Siam  was  brought  into  con- 
nection with  the  outside  world  through  the  labors  of 
the  missionaries,  both  Roman  Catholic  and  Protes- 
tant, who,  during  the  reign  of  this  king,  established 
themselves  in  the  country.  Some  more  detailed 
reference  to  the  labors  and  successes  of  the  mission- 
aries will  be  made  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  It  is  by 
means  of  these  self-sacrificing  and  devoted  men  that 
the  great  advances  which  Siam  has  made  have  been 
chiefly  brought  about.  The  silent  influence  which 
they  were  exerting  during  this  period,  from  1824  to 
1851,  was  really  the  great  fact  of  the  reign  of  the 
king  Phra  Chao  Pravat  Thong.  Once  or  twice  the 
king  became  suspicions  of  them,  and  attempted  to 
hinder  or  to  put  an  end  to  their  labors.  In  1848  he 
went  so  far  as  to  issue  an  edict  against  the  Roman 
Catholic  missionaries,  commanding  the  destruction  of 
all  their  places  of  worship  ;  but  the  edict  was  only 
partially  carried  into  execution.  The  change  which 
has  taken  place  in  the  attitude  of  the  government  in 
regard  to  religious  liberty,  and  the  sentiments  of  the 
present  king  in  regard  to  it,  are  best  expressed  by  a 
royal  proclamation  issued  during  the  year  1870,  a 
quotation  from  which  is  given  in  the  Bangkok  Calen- 


MODERN  SIAM  69 

dar  for  the  next  year  ensuing,  introduced  by  a  brief 
note  from  the  editor,  the  Rev.  D.  B.  Bradley. 

"  The  following  translation  is  an  extract  from  the 

o 

Royal  Siamese  Calendar  for  the  current  year.  It  is 
issued  by  the  authority  of  his  majesty,  the  supreme 
king,  and  is  to  me  quite  interesting  in  many  respects, 
but  especially  in  the  freedom  it  accords  to  all  Siamese 
subjects  in  the  great  concerns  of  their  religion.  Hav- 
ing near  the  close  of  the  pamphlet  given  good  moral 
lessons,  the  paper  concludes  with  the  following  noble 
sentiments,  and  very  remarkable  for  a  heathen  king 
to  promulgate  : 

"  In  regard  to  the  concern  of  seeking  and  holding 
a  religion  that  shall  be  a  refuge  to  yourself  in  this 
life,  it  is  a  good  concern  and  exceedingly  appropriate 
and  suitable  that  you  all — every  individual  of  you — 
should  investigate  and  judge  for  himself  according  to 
his  own  wisdom.  And  when  you  see  any  religion 
whatever,  or  any  company  of  religionists  whatever, 
likely  to  be  of  advantage  to  yourself,  a  refuge  in  ac- 
cord with  your  own  wisdom,  hold  to  that  religion 
with  all  your  heart.  Hold  it  not  with  a  shallow 
mind,  with  mere  guess-work,  or  because  of  its  general 
popularity,  or  from  mere  traditional  saying  that  it  is 
the  custom  held  from  time  immemorial ;  and  do  not 
hold  a  religion  that  you  have  not  good  evidence  is 
true,  and  then  frighten  men's  fears,  and  flatter  their 
hopes  by  it.  Do  not  be  frightened  and  astonished  at 
diverse  events  (fictitious  wonders)  and  hold  to  and 
follow  them.  When  you  shall  have  obtained  a  ref- 
uge, a  religious  faith  that  is  beautiful  and  good  and 
suitable,  hold  to  it  with  great  joy,  and  follow  its 


70  SIAM 

teachings,  and  it  will  be  a  cause  of  prosperity  to  each 
one  of  yon.'' 

The  contrast  between  the  state  of  things  repre- 
sented by  this  document  and  that  exemplified  by  the 
story  of  the  treatment  of  the  captive  king  of  Laos  is 
sufficiently  striking.  The  man  who  tortured  the 
king  of  Laos  was  the  uncle  of  the  young  man  who  is 
now  on  the  throne.  But  between  the  two — cover- 
ing the  period  from  the  year  1851  to  the  year  1868 
— was  a  king  whose  character  and  history  entitle* 
him  to  be  ranked  among  the  most  extraordinary  and 
admirable  rulers  of  modern  times.  To  this  man  and 
his  younger  brother,  who  reigned  conjointly  as  first 
and  second  kings,  is  due  the  honor  of  giving  to  their 
realm  an  honorable  place  among  the  nations  of  the 
world  and  putting  it  in  the  van  of  progress  among 
the  kingdoms  of  the  far  East. 

It  seemed  at  first  a  misfortune  that  these  two  broth- 
ers should  have  been  so  long  kept  out  of  their 
rightful  dignities  by  their  comparatively  coarse  and 
cruel  half-brother,  who  usurped  the  throne.  But  it 
proved  in  the  end,  both  for  them  and  for  the  world, 
a  great  advantage.  The  usurper,  when  he  seized  the 
throne,  promised  to  hold  it  for  a  few  years  only  and 
to  restore  it  to  its  rightful  heirs  as  soon  as  their 
growth  in  years  and  in  experience  should  fit  them  to 
govern.  So  far  was  he,  however,  from  making  good 
his  words  that  he  had  made  all  his  arrangements  to 
put  his  own  son  in  his  place.  Having  held  the 
sovereignty  for  twenty-seven  years  the  desire  to  per- 
petuate it  in  his  own  line  was  natural.  And  as  he 
had  about  seven  hundred  wives  there  was  no  lack  of 


MODERN  SIAM  71 

children  from  among  whom  he  might  choose  his  heir. 
In  1851  lie  was  taken  sick,  and  it  was  evident  that 
his  end  was  at  hand.  At  this  crisis,  says  Sir  John 
Bowring  : 

"  The  energy  of  the  Praklang  (the  present  Kala- 
hom)  saved  the  nation  from  the  miseries  of  disputed 
succession.  The  Praklang's  eldest  son,  Phya  Sisuri- 
wong,  held  the  fortresses  of  Paknam,  and,  with  the 
aid  of  his  powerful  family,  placed  Chan  Fa  Tai  upon 
the  throne,  and  was  made  Kalahom,  being  at  once 
advanced  ten  steps  and  to  the  position  the  most  in- 
fluential in  the  kingdom,  that  of  prime-minister. 
On  March  18,  1851,  the  Praklang  proposed  to  the 
council  of  nobles  the  nomination  of  Chau  Fa  Tai ; 
lie  held  bold  language,  carried  his  point,  and  the  next 
day  communicated  the  proceedings  to  the  elected 
sovereign  in  his  wat  (or  temple),  everybody,  even 
rival  candidates,  having  given  in  their  adhesion. 
By  general  consent,  Chau  Fa  Noi  was  raised  to  the 
rank  of  wangna,  or  second  king,  having,  it  is  said, 
one  third  of  the  revenues  with  a  separate  palace  and 
establishment." 

It  is  difficult  to  determine  how  the  custom  of  two 
kings  reigning  at  once  could  have  originated,  and 
how  far  back  in  the  history  of  Siam  it  is  to  be  traced. 
It  is  possible  that  it  originated  with  the  present 
dynasty,  for  the  founder  of  this  dynasty  had  a 
brother  with  whom  he  was  closely  intimate,  who 
shared  his  fortunes  when  they  were  generals  together 
under  Phya  Tak,  and  who  might  naturally  enough 
have  become  his  colleague  when  he  ascended  the 
throne.  Under  the  reign  of  the  uncle  of  the  present 


72  SIAM 

king  the  office  of  the  second  king  was  abolished.  It 
was  restored  again  at  the  next  succession,  but  was 
finally  abolished  upon  the  death  of  King  George  in 

1885. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FIRST   IMPRESSIONS 

THE  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  Siam  by  the 
great  river,  which  divides  the  country  east  and 
west,  brings  the  traveller  at  once  into  all  the  richness 
and  variety  of  tropical  nature,  and  is  well  suited  to 
produce  an  impression  of  the  singular  beauty  and 
the  vast  resources  of  the  "  Land  of  the  White  Ele- 
phant." For  this  is  the  name  which  may  prop- 
erly be  given  to  the  kingdom  since  the  flag  of  the 
country  has  been  established.  A  very  curious  flag  it 
makes — the  white  elephant  on  a  red  field — and  very 
oddly  it  must  look  if  ever  it  is  necessary  to  hoist  it 
upside  down  as  a  signal  of  distress ;  a  signal  elo- 
quent indeed,  for  anything  more  helpless  and  distress- 
ing than  this  clumpsy  quadruped  in  that  position  can 
hardly  be  imagined. 

The  editor  of  this  volume,  who  visited  Siam  in  one 
of  the  vessels  of  the  United  States  East  India  Squad- 
ron in  1857,  and  who  was  present  at  the  exchange  of 
ratifications  of  the  treaty  made  in  the  previous  year, 
has  elsewhere  described  *  the  impressions  which  were 
made  upon  him  at  his  first  entrance  into  the  country 
of  the  Meinam,  and  reproduces  his  own  narrative, 

*  Hours  at  Home,  vol.  iv.,  pp.  464,  531 ;  vol.  v.,  p.  66. 
6 


74  SIAM 

substantially  unaltered,  in  this  and  the  two  following 
chapters. 

There  is  enough  to  see  in  Siam,  if  only  it  could  be 
described.  But  nothing  is  harder  than  to  convey  in 
words  the  indescribable  charm  of  tropical  life  and 
scenery ;  and  it  was  in  this,  in  great  measure,  that 
the  enjoyment  of  my  month  in  Bangkok  consisted. 
Always  behind  the  events  which  occupied  us  day  by 
day,  and  behind  the  men  and  things  with  which  we 
had  to  do,  was  the  pervading  charm  of  tropical  na- 
ture— of  soft  warm  sky,  with  floating  fleecy  clouds 
and  infinite  depths  of  blue  beyond  them  ;  of  golden 
sunlight  flooding  everything  by  day  ;  and  when  the 
day  dies  its  sudden  death,  of  mellow  moonlight,  as  if 
from  a  perennial  harvest  moon  ;  and  of  stars,  that  do 
not  glitter  with  a  hard  and  pointed  radiance,  as  here, 
but  melt  through  the  mild  air  with  glory  in  which 
there  is  never  any  thought  of  "  twinkling."  Always 
there  was  the  teeming  life  of  land  and  sea,  of  jungle 
and  of  river;  and  the  varying  influence  of  fruitful 
nature,  captivating  every  sense  with  sweet  allure- 
ment. Read  Mr.  Tennyson's  "  Lotos  Eaters  "  if  you 
want  to  know  what  the  tropics  are. 

It  was  drawing  toward  the  middle  of  a  splendid 
night  in  May,  when  I  found  myself  among  the  "  palms 
and  temples  "  of  this  singular  city.  It  had  been  a  tire- 
some journey  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  rowing 
more  than  a  score  of  miles  against  the  rapid  current ; 
and,  if  there  could  be  monotony  in  the  wonderful  va- 
riety and  richness  of  tropical  nature,  it  might  have 
been  a  monotonous  journey.  But  the  wealth  of  foli- 
age, rising  sometimes  in  the  feathery  plumes  of  the 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  75 

tall  areca  palm — of  all  palms  the  stateliest — or  droop- 
ing sometimes  in  heavier  and  larger  masses,  crowd- 
ing to  the  water's  edge  in  dense,  impenetrable  jungle, 
or  checked  here  and  there  by  the  toil  of  cultivation, 
or  cleared  for  dwellings — was  a  constant  wonder  and 
delight.  Now  and  then  we  passed  a  bamboo  house, 
raised  high  on  poles  above  the  ground,  and  looking 
like  some  monstrous  bird's  nest  in  the  trees ;  but  they 
were  featherless  bipeds  who  peered  out  from  the 
branches  at  the  passing  boats ;  and  not  bird's  notes 
but  children's  voices,  that  clamored  in  wronder  or 
were  silenced  in  awe  at  the  white-faced  strangers. 
Sometimes  the  white  walls  and  shining  ropfs  of  tem- 
ples gleamed  through  the  dark  verdure,  suggesting 
the  architectural  magnificence  and  beauty  which  the 
statelier  temples  of  the  city  would  exhibit.  Bald- 
headed  priests,  in  orange-colored  scarfs,  came  out  to 
watch  us.  Superb  white  pelicans  stood  pensive  by  the 
riverside,  or  snatched  at  fish,  or  sailed  on  snowy 
wings  with  quiet  majesty  across  the  stream.  Or  may 
be  some  inquiring  monkey,  gray-whiskered,  leading 
two  or  three  of  tenderer  years,  as  if  he  were  their 
tutor,  on  a  naturalist's  expedition  through  the  jungle, 
stops  to  look  at  us  with  peculiar  curiosity,  as  at  some 
singular  and  unexpected  specimen,  but  stands  ready 
to  dodge  behind  the  roots  of  mangrove  trees  in  case 
of  danger. 

It  will  be  fortunate  for  the  traveller  if,  while  he 
is  rowing  up  the  river,  night  shall  overtake  him  ;  for, 
beside  the  splendor  of  the  tropic  stars  above  him,  there 
will  be  rival  splendors  all  about  him.  The  night  came 
down  on  me  with  startlino;  suddenness — for  "  there  is 


76  SIAM 

no  twilight  within  the  courts  of  the  sun  " — just  as  I 
was  waiting  at  the  mouth  of  a  cross-cut  canal,  by 
which,  when  the  tide  should  rise  a  little,  I  might  avoid 
a  long  bend  in  the  river.  By  the  time  the  tide  had 
risen  the  night  had  fallen  thick  and  dark,  and  the 
dense  shade  of  the  jungle,  through  which  the  canal  led 
us,  made  it  yet  thicker  and  more  dark.  Great  fern 
leaves,  ten  or  fifteen  feet  in  height,  grew  dense  on 
either  side,  and  fanlike,  almost  met  over  our  heads. 
Above  them  stretched  the  forest  trees.  Among  them 
rose  the  noise  of  night-birds,  lizards,  trumpeter-bee- 
tles, and  creatures  countless  and  various,  making  a 
hoarse  din,  which,  if  it  was  not  musical,  at  least  was 
lively.  But  the  jungle,  with  its  darkness  and  its  din, 
had  such  a  beauty  as  I  never  have  seen  equalled,  when 
its  myriad  fire-flies  sparkled  thick  on  every  side.  1 
had  seen  fire-flies  before,  and  had  heard  of  them,  but 
I  had  never  seen  or  heard,  nor  have  I  since  then  ever 
seen  or  heard,  of  anything  like  these.  The  peculiar- 
ity of  them  was — not  that  they  were  so  many,  though 
they  were  innumerable — not  that  they  were  so  large, 
though  they  were  very  large — but  that  they  clustered, 
as  by  a  preconcerted  plan,  on  certain  kinds  of  trees, 
avoiding  carefully  all  other  kinds,  and  then,  as  if  by 
signal  from  some  director  of  the  spectacle,  they  all 
sent  forth  their  light  at  once,  at  simultaneous  and  ex- 
act intervals,  so  that  the  whole  tree  seemed  to  flash 
and  palpitate  with  living  light.  Imagine  it.  At  one 
instant  was  blackness  of  darkness  and  the  croaking 
jungle.  Then  suddenly  on  every  side  flashed  out  these 
fiery  trees,  the  form  of  each,  from  topmost  twig  to 
outmost  bough,  set  thick  with  flaming  jewels.  It  was 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  77 

easy  to  imagine  at  the  top  of  each  some  big  white- 
waistcoated  fire-fly,  with  the  baton  of  director,  order- 
ing the  movements  of  the  rest. 

This  peculiarity  of  the  Siamese  fire-flies,  or,  as  our 
popular  term  graphically  describes  them,  the  tropical 
"  lightning-bngs  "  was  noticed  as  long  ago  as  the  time 
of  old  Kampfer,  who  speaks  concerning  them  as 
follows  : 

"  The  glow-worms  settle  on  some  trees  like  a  fiery 
cloud,  with  this  surprising  circumstance,  that  a  whole 
swarm  of  these  insects,  having  taken  possession  of 
one  tree  and  spread  themselves  over  its  branches, 
sometimes  hide  their  light  all  at  once,  and  a  moment 
after  make  it  appear  again,  with  the  utmost  regular- 
ity and  exactness,  as  if  they  were  in  perpetual  systole 
and  diastole."  The  lapse  of  centuries  has  wrought  no 
change  in  the  rhythmic  regularity  of  this  surprising  ex- 
hibition. Out  upon  the  river  once  again  ;  the  houses 
on  the  shore  began  to  be  more  numerous,  and  present- 
ly began  to  crowd  together  in  continuous  succession  ; 
and  from  some  of  them  the  sound  of  merry  laughter 
and  of  pleasant  music  issuing  proved  that  not  all  the 
citizens  of  Bangkok  were  asleep.  The  soft  light  of 
the  cocoanut-oil  lamps  supplied  the  place  of  the  illu- 
mination of  the  fire-flies.  Boats,  large  and  small,  were 
passing  swiftly  up  and  down  the  stream ;  now  and 
then  the  tall  masts  of  some  merchant  ships  loomed 
indistinctly  large  through  the  darkness.  I  could 
dimly  see  high  towers  of  temples  and  broad  roofs  of 
palaces ;  and  I  stepped  on  shore,  at  last,  on  the 

"  Dark  shore,  just  seen  that  it  was  rich," 


78  SIAM 

with  a  half-bewildered  feeling  that  I  was  passing 
through  some  pleasant  dream  of  the  Arabian  Kights, 
from  which  I  should  presently  awake. 

Even  when  the  flooding  sunlight  of  the  tropical 
morning  poured  in  through  the  windows,  it  was  dif- 
ficult for  me  to  realize  that  I  was  not  in  some  unreal 
land.  There  was  a  sweet,  low  sound  of  music  filling 
the  air  with  its  clear,  liquid  tones.  And,  joining 
with  the  music,  was  the  pleasant  ringing  of  a  multi- 
tude of  little  bells,  ringing  I  knew  not  where.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  air  was  full  of  them.  Close  by,  on 
one  side,  was  the  palace  of  a  prince,  and  somewhere 
in  his  house  or  in  his  courtyard  there  were  people 
playing  upon  instruments  of  music,  made  of  smoothed 
and  hollowed  bamboo.  But  no  human  hands  were 
busy  with  the  bells.  Within  a  stone's  throw  of  my 
window  rose  the  shining  tower  of  the  most  splendid 
temple  in  Bangkok.  From  its  broad  octagonal  base 
to  the  tip  of  its  splendid  spire  it  must  measure,  I 
should  think,  a  good  deal  more  than  two  hundred 
feet,  and  every  inch  of  its  irregular  surface  glitters 
with  ornament.  Curiously  wrought  into  it  are  forms 
of  men  and  birds,  and  grotesque  beasts  that  seem, 
with  outstretched  hands  or  claws,  to  hold  it  up. 
T\vo  thirds  of  the  way  from  the  base,  stand,  I  re- 
member, four  white  elephants,  wrought  in  shining 
porcelain,  facing  one  each  way  toward  four  points  of 
the  compass.  From  the  rounded  summit  rises,  like 
a  needle,  a  sharp  spire.  This  was  the  temple  tower, 
and  all  over  the  magnificent  pile,  from  the  tip  of  the 
highest  needle  to  the  base,  from  every  prominent 
angle  and  projection,  there  were  hanging  sweet-toned 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  79 

bells,  with  little  gilded  fans  attached  to  their  tongues  ; 
so  swinging  that  they  were  vocal  in  the  slightest 
breeze.  Here  was  where  the  music  came  from. 
Even  as  I  stood  and  looked  I  caught  the  breezes  at 
it.  Coining  from  the  unseen  distance,  rippling  the 
smooth  surface  of  the  swift  river,  where  busy  oars 
and  carved  or  gilded  prows  of  many  boats  were 
flashing  in  the  sun,  sweeping  with  pleasant  whispers 
through  the  varied  richness  of  the  tropical  foliage, 
stealing  the  perfume  of  its  blossoms  and  the  odor  of 
its  fruits,  they  caught  the  shining  bells  of  this  great 
tower,  and  tossed  the  music  out  of  them.  Was  I 
awake  I  wondered,  or  was  it  some  dream  of  Oriental 
beauty  that  would  presently  vanish  ? 

Something  like  this  ^Eolian  tower  there  must  be 
in  the  adjacent  kingdom  of  Birmah,  where  the 
graceful  pen  of  Mrs.  Judson  has  put  the  scene  in 

verse : 

"  On  the  pagoda  spire 

The  bells  are  swinging, 
Their  little  golden  circlets  in  a  flutter 
With  tales  the  wooing  winds  have  dared  to  utter ; 
Till  all  are  ringing, 

As  if  a  choir 

Of  golden-nested  birds  in  heaven  were  singing  ; 
And  with  a  lulling  sound 
The  music  floats  around 
And  drops  like  balm  into  the  drowsy  ear." 

The  verse  breathes  the  spirit,  and  gives  almost  the 
very  sound,  of  the  bewitching  tropical  scene  on 
which  I  looked,  and  out  of  which  "  the  music  of  the 
bells"  was  blown  to  me  on  my  first  morning  in  Bang- 
kok. 


80  SIAM 

No  doubt  my  first  impressions  (which  I  have  given 
with  some  detail,  and  with  all  the  directness  of  "that 
right  line  I")  were  fortunate.     But  three   or   four 
weeks  of  Bangkok  could  not  wear  them  off  or  coun- 
teract them.    It  is  the  Venice  of  the  East.    Its  high- 
way is  the  river,  and  canals  are  its  by-ways.     There 
are  streets,  as  in  Venice,  used  by  pedestrians ;  but 
the  travel  and  the  carriage  is,  for  the  most  part,  done 
by  boats.     Only,  in  place  of  the  verdureless  margin 
of  the  watery  streets,  which  gives  to  Venice,  with 
all  its  beauty,   a  half-dreary  aspect,  there  is  green- 
est foliage  shadowing  the  water,  and  mingling  with 
the  dwellings,  and  palaces,  and  temples  on  the  shore; 
and  instead  of  the  funeral  gondolas  of  monotonous 
color,  with  solitary  gondoliers,  are  boats  of  every  size 
and  variety,  paddled  sometimes  by  one,  sometimes  by 
a  score  of  oarsmen.     Some  of  the  bamboo  dwellings 
of  the  humbler  classes  are  built,  literally,  on   the 
river,  floating  on  rafts,  a  block  of  them  together,  or 
raised  on  poles  above  the  surface  of  the  water.     The 
shops   expose   their  goods  upon  the  river  side,  and 
wait  for  custom   from   the   thronging   boats.     The 
temples  and  the  palaces  must  stand,  of  course,  on 
solid  ground,  but  the  river  is  the  great  Broadway, 
and  houses  crowd  upon  the  channel  of  the  boats,  and 
boats  bump  the  houses.     It  is  a  picturesque  and  busy 
scene  on  which  you  look  as  you  pass  on  amid  the 
throng.     Royal  boats,  with  carved  and  gilded  prows, 
with  shouting  oarsmen,  rush  by  you,  hurrying  with 
the  rapid  current ;  or  the  little  skiff  of  some  small 
pedler,  with   his   assortment  of  various  "  notions," 
paddling  and  peddling  by  turns,  is  dexterously  urged 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  81 

along  its  way.  Amid  all  this  motion  and  traffic  is 
that  charm  of  silence  which  makes  Venice  so  dream- 
like. No  rumble  of  wheels  nor  clatter  of  hoofs  dis- 
turbs you.  Only  the  sound  of  voices,  softened  as  it 
comes  along  the  smooth  water,  or  the  music  of  a 
palace,  or  the  tinkling  of  the  bells  of  a  pagoda,  break 
the  stillness.  It  is  a  beautiful  Broadway,  without 
the  Broadway  roar  and  din. 

Of  course  there  is  not,  in  this  tropical  Venice, 
anything  to  equal  the  incomparable  architectural 
beauty  of  the  Adriatic  city.  And  yet  it  seemed  to 
me  that  the  architecture  of  Siam  was  in  very  perfect 
accord  with  all  its  natural  surroundings.  In  all  parts 
of  the  city  you  may  find  the  "  wats "  or  temples. 
When  we  started  on  our  first  day's  sight-seeing,  and 
told  the  old  Portuguese  half-breed,  who  acted  as  our 
interpreter,  to  take  us  to  a  "  wat,"  he  asked,  with  a 
pun  of  embarrassment,  "  What  wat  ?  "  Of  course  we 
must  begin  with  the  pagoda  of  innumerable  bells, 
but  where  to  stop  we  knew  not.  Temple  after 
temple  waited  to  be  seen.  Through  long,  dim  corri- 
dors, crowded  with  rows  of  solemn  idols  carved  and 
gilded  ;  through  spacious  open  courts  paved  with 
large  slabs  of  marble,  and  filled  with  graceful  spires 
or  shafts  or  columns  ;  along  white  walls  with  gilded 
eaves  and  cornices ;  beneath  arches  lined  with  gold, 
to  sacred  doors  of  ebony,  or  pearly  gates  of  iridescent 
beauty  ;  amid  grotesque  stone  statues,  or  queer  paint- 
ings of  the  Buddhist  inferno  (strangely  similar  to 
the  mediaeval  Christian  representations  of  the  same 
subject),  you  may  wander  till  you  are  tired.  You 
may  happen  to  come  upon  the  bonzes  at  their  devo- 


82  SIAM 

tions,  or  you  may  have  the  silent  temples  to  yourself. 
In  one  of  them  you  will  find  that  clumsy,  colossal 
image,  too  big  to  stand,  and  built  recumbent,  there- 
fore— a  great  mass  of  heavy  masonry,  covered  thick 
with  gilding,  and  measuring  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
in  length.  If  you  could  stand  him  up,  his  foot  would 
cover  eighteen  feet — an  elephantine  monster.  But 
the  roofs,  of  glazed  tiles,  with  a  centre  of  dark  green 
and  with  a  golden  margin,  are  the  greatest  charm  of 
the  temples.  Climb  some  pagoda  and  look  down 
upon  the  city,  and,  on  every  side,  among  the 
"  breadths  of  tropic  shade  and  palms  in  cluster,"  you 
will  see  the  white  walls  roofed  with  shining  green 
and  gold,  and  surmounted  by  their  gilded  towers  and 
spires.  Like  the  temples  are  the  palaces,  but  less 
splendid.  I3ut  everywhere,  whether  in  temples  or 
palaces,  you  will  find,  not  rude,  barbaric  tawdriness 
of  style,  but  elegance  and  skill  of  which  the  Western 
nations  might  be  proud.  Good  taste,  and  a  quick 
sense  of  beauty,  and  the  ability  to  express  them  in 
their  handiwork,  all  these  are  constantly  indicated  in 
the  architecture  of  this  people.  And  they  make  the 
city  one  of  almost  unrivalled  picturesqueness  to  the 
traveller,  who  glides  from  river  to  canal  and  from 
canal  to  river,  under  the  shadow  of  the  temple 
towers,  and  among  the  shining  walls  of  stately  pal- 
aces. 

"Where  so  much  wealth  is  lavished  on  the  public 
buildings  there  must  be  great  resources  to  draw 
from  ;  and,  indeed,  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  coun- 
try appears  at  almost  every  turn.  Precious  stones 
and  the  precious  metals  seem  as  frequent  as  the  fire- 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  83 

flies  in  the  jungle.  Sometimes,  as  in  the  silver  cur- 
rency, there  is  an  absence  of  all  workmanship ;  the 
coinage  being  little  lumps  of  silver,  rudely  rolled  to- 
gether in  a  mass  and  stamped.  But  sometimes,  as 
in  the  teapots,  betel-nut  boxes,  cigar-holders,  with 
which  the  noblemen  are  provided  when  they  go 
abroad,  yon  will  see  workmanship  of  no  mean  skill. 
Often  these  vessels  are  elegantly  wrought.  Some- 
times they  are  studded  with  jewels,  sometimes  they 
are  beautifully  enamelled  in  divers  colors.  Once  I 
called  upon  a  noble,  who  brought  out  a  large  assort- 
ment of  uncut  stones — some  of  them  of  great  value — 
and  passed  them  to  me  as  one  would  a  snuff-box,  not 
content  till  I  had  helped  myself.  More  than  once  I 
have  seen  children  of  the  nobles  with  no  covering  at 
all,  except  the  strings  of  jewelled  gold  that  hung,  in 
barbarous  opulence,  upon  their  necks  and  shoulders  ; 
but  there  was  wealth  enough  in  these  to  fit  the  little 
fellows  with  a  very  large  assortment  of  most  fashion- 
able and  Christian  apparel,  even  at  the  ruinous  rate 
of  tailors'  prices  at  the  present  day.  To  go  about 
among  these  urchins,  and  among  the  houses  of  the 
nobles  and  the  king's  palaces,  gives  one  the  half-be- 
wildered and  half-covetous  feeling  that  it  gives  to  be 
conducted  by  polite  but  scrutinizing  attendants 
through  a  mint.  Surely  we  had  come  at  last  to 

"  Where  the  gorgeous  East,  with  richest  hand, 
Showers  on  her  kings  barbaric  pearl  and  gold." 

Of  course,  of  all  this  wealth  the  king's  share  was 
the  lion's  share. 

Then,  as  for  vegetable  wealth,  I  do  not  know  that 


84:  SIAM 

there  is  anywhere  a  richer  valley  in  the  world  than 
the  valley  of  the  Meinam.  All  the  productions  of 
the  teeming  tropics  may  grow  luxuriantly  here. 
There  was  rice  enough  in  Siam  the  year  before  my 
visit  to  feed  the  native  population  and  to  supply  the 
failure  of  the  rice  crop  in  Southern  China,  prevent- 
ing thus  the  havoc  of  a  famine  in  that  crowded  em- 

o 

pire,  and  making  fortunes  for  the  merchants  who 
were  prompt  enough  to  carry  it  from  Bangkok  to 
Canton.  Cotton  grows  freely  beneath  that  burning 
sky.  Sugar,  pepper,  and  all  spices  may  be  had  with 
easy  cultivation.  There  is  gutta-percha  in  the  for- 
ests. There  are  dye-stuffs  and  medicines  in  the  jun- 
gles. The  painter  gets  his  gamboge,  as  its  name 
implies,  from  Cambodia,  which  is  tributary  to  their 
majesties  of  Bangkok.  As  for  the  fruits,  I  cannot 
number  them  nor  describe  them.  The  mangostene, 
most  delicate  and  most  rare  of  them  all,  grows  only 
in  Siam,  and  in  the  lands  adjacent  to  the  Straits  of 
Sunda  and  Malacca.  Some  things  we  may  have 
which  Siam  cannot  have,  but  the  mangostene  is  her 
peculiar  glory,  and  she  will  not  lend  it.  Beautiful  to 
sight,  smell,  and  taste,  it  hangs  among  its  glossy 
leaves,  the  prince  of  fruits.  Cut  through  the  shaded 
green  and  purple  of  the  rind,  and  lift  the  upper  half 
as  if  it  were  the  cover  of  a  dish,  and  the  pulp  of  half 
transparent,  creamy  whiteness  stands  in  segments 
like  an  orange,  but  rimmed  with  darkest  crimson 
where  the  rind  was  cut.  It  looks  too  beautiful  to  eat ; 
but  how  the  rarest,  sweetest  essence  of  the  tropics 
seems  to  dwell  in  it  as  it  melts  to  your  delighted 
taste ! 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  85 

This  is  the  Land  of  the  White  Elephant,  so  singu- 
lar, so  rich,  so  beautiful ;  but  we  need  also  to  tell  what 
manner  of  men  the  people  are  who  live  beneath  the 
standard  of  the  elephant,  or  what  kings  and  nobles 
govern  them. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN 

SOON  after  arriving  in  Bangkok,  in  1857,  on  the 
occasion  referred  to  in  the  last  chapter,  the 
present  editor  was  invited  to  an  interview  with  the  sec- 
ond king.  The  account  of  that  interview  was  writ- 
ten while  it  was  still  a  matter  of  recent  memory ; 
and  it  seems  better  to  reproduce  the  story,  for  the 
sake  of  the  freshness  with  which  the  incidents  de- 
scribed in  it  were  recorded,  rather  than  to  attempt 
the  rewriting  of  it.  It  is  a  characteristic  picture  of 
an  extraordinary  man,  and  of  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms which  still  prevail  for  the  most  part  (with  some 
important  exceptions)  at  the  court  of  Siam.  This 
king  was  the  grandson  of  the  founder  of  the  present 
dynasty,  and  was  the  junior  of  the  two  princes  who, 
by  the  usurpation  of  their  half-brother,  were,  for 
twenty-seven  years,  kept  out  of  their  birthright. 
Even  so  long  ago  as  1837,  an  intelligent  traveller 
who  visited  Siam  said  concerning  him  :  "  No  man  in 
the  kingdom  is  so  qualified  to  govern  well.  His  nat- 
urally fine  mind  is  enlarged  and  improved  by  inter- 
course with  foreigners,  by  the  perusal  of  English 
works,  by  studying  Euclid  and  Newton,  by  freeing 
himself  from  a  bigoted  attachment  to  Buddhism,  by 
candidly  recognizing  our  superiority  and  a  readiness 


A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN  87 

to  adopt  our  arts.  He  understands  the  use  of  the  sex- 
tant and  chronometer,  and  was  anxious  for  the  latest 
Nautical  Almanac,  which  I  promised  to  send  him.  His 
little  daughters,  accustomed  to  the  sis-ht  of  foreigners, 

O  '  O  O  ' 

so  far  from  showing  any  signs  of  fear,  always  came  to 
sit  upon  my  lap,  though  the  yellow  cosmetic  on  their 
limbs  was  sure  to  be  transferred  in  part  to  my  dress. 
One  of  them  took  pride  in  repeating  to  me  a  few 
words  of  English,  and  the  other  took  care  to  display 
her  power  of  projecting  the  elbow  forward," — an  ac- 
complishment upon  which  the  ladies  of  Siam  still 
pride  themselves,  and  in  which  they  are  extraordi- 
narily expert. 

This  was  in  1837.  How  greatly  the  character  of 
the  second  king  had  developed  since  that  time  will 
appear  from  the  editor's  description,  which  refers,  as 
has  been  said,  to  the  year  1857. 

One  king  at  a  time  is  commonly  thought  to  be  as 
much  as  any  kingdom  has  need  of.  Indeed,  there 
seems  to  be  a  growing  tendency  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth  to  think  that  even  one  is  one  too  many, 
and  the  popular  prejudice  is  setting  very  strongly  in 
favor  of  none  at  all.  Nevertheless,  there  are  in 
Siam  (or  rather,  until  very  recently,  there  were)  two 
kings  reigning  together,  each  with  the  full  rank  and 
title  of  king,  and  with  no  rivalry  between  them.  It 
is  probable  that,  originally,  a  monarchy  was  the 
normal  condition  of  the  government,  and  that  the 
duarchy  is  of  comparatively  modern  origin.  But  it 
is  certain  that  when  I  was  in  the  Land  of  the  White 
Elephant  there  was  a  kind  of  Siamese-twin  arrange- 


88  SIAM 

ment  in  the  kingdom.  The  two  kings  were  brothers, 
and  though,  as  has  been  said,  their  rank  and  title 
were  equal,  the  real  power  and  work  of  government 
rested  on  the  shoulders  of  the  elder  of  the  two,  the 
other  keeping  discreetly  and  contentedly  in  the  back- 
ground. Both  were  men  of  noteworthy  ability,  and 
deserve  to  be  known  and  honored  for  their  personal 
attainments  in  civilization,  and  for  what  they  have 
done  to  lift  their  kingdom  out  of  degradation  and 
barbarism,  and  to  welcome  and  promote  intercourse 
between  it  and  the  Western  nations.  When  we  re- 
member the  obstinacy  of  Oriental  prejudice  against 
innovation,  and  the  persistency  with  which  the  peo- 
ple wrap  themselves  in  their  conceit  as  in  a  garment, 
we  shall  the  better  appreciate  the  state  of  things  at 
the  court  of  the  White  Elephant,  which  I  am  about 
to  describe. 

The  second  king  was  a  man  of  social  disposition, 
and  fond  of  the  company  of  strangers.  It  was, 
doubtless,  owing  to  this  fact  that  when  he  heard 
that  there  was  an  American  man-of-war  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  and  that  an  officer  had  been  sent  up  to 
Bangkok  to  report  her  arrival,  he  sent  a  messenger 
and  a  boat  with  the  request  that  I  would  come  and 
see  him.  It  did  not  take  long  for  the  score  of  oars- 
men, with  the  short,  quick  motion  of  their  paddles, 
and  the  grunting  energy  with  which  they  plied  them, 
to  bring  the  boat  up  to  the  palace  gates.  For,  of 
course,  the  palace  has  a  water-front,  and  one  may 
pass  at  one  step  from  among  the  thronging  boats  of 
the  river  into  the  quiet  seclusion  of  the  king's  in- 
closure.  Passing  through  a  lofty  gateway  at  the 


A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN  89 

water's  edge,  we  came  to  a  large  and  stately  temple, 
about  which  were  priests  in  orange-colored  drapery 
trying  to  screen  their  shining  skulls  from  the  fierce 
heat  of  the  morning  sun  by  means  of  fans.  I  used 
to  feel  sorry  for  the  priests.  Ecclesiastical  law  and 
usage  compel  them  to  shave  every  sign  of  hair  from 
their  heads.  Not  even  a  "tail  is  left  to  them,  but 
they  are  as  bald  as  beetles.  And  when  (as  in  Siam) 
the  sun's  rays  beat  with  almost  perpendicular  direct- 
ness, it  is  no  trifling  thing  to  be  deprived  of  even  the 
natural  protection  with  which  the  skull  is  provided. 
"Whatever  can  be  done  with  fans  toward  shielding 
themselves  they  do ;  and,  also,  they  can,  by  the 
same  means,  shut  off  their  eyes  from  beholding  van- 
ity, so  that  a  fan  is  a  most  important  part  of  the 
sacerdotal  outfit.  Leaving  the  priests  to  group  them- 
selves in  idle  picturesqueness  near  the  royal  temple, 
we  pass  on  by  storehouses  and  treasuries  and  stables 
of  the  royal  elephants,  between  sentries  standing 
guard  with  European  arms  and  in  a  semi-European 
uniform,  to  the  armory,  where  I  was  to  wait  until  the 
king  was  ready. 

The  messenger  who  had  hitherto  conducted  me 
was  known  among  the  foreign  residents  of  Bangkok 
as  "Captain  Dick" — a  talkative  person,  with  a 
shrewd  eye  to  his  own  advancement.  He  spoke 
good  English,  and  a  good  deal  of  it,  and  suggested,  I 
remember,  certain  ways  in  which  it  would  be  possi- 
ble for  me  to  further  his  interests  with  the  king.  He 
had  been  at  sea,  and  had  perhaps  commanded  one  of 
the  king's  sea-going  vessels — his  "captaincy  "  being 
rather  maritime  than  military.  He  was  quite  dis- 


90  SIAM 

posed  to  join  the  embassy,  which  was  at  that  time 
getting  ready  to  be  sent  to  Great  Britain.  He  men- 
tioned, incidentally,  that  a  few  of  the  naval  buttons 
on  my  uniform  would  be  a  highly  acceptable  gift  for 
me  to  offer  him.  The  confidence  and  self-assnrance 
with  which  he  had  borne  himself,  however,  began 
perceptibly  to  wilt  as  we  drew  a  little  nearer  to  the 
august  presence  of  royalty.  And,  at  the  armory,  he 
made  me  over,  in  quite  an  humble  manner,  to  the 
king's  oldest  son,  who  was  to  take  me  to  his  father. 
As  I  shook  hands  with  the  tall,  manly,  handsome 
youth  who  was  waiting  for  me,  I  thought  him  wor- 
thy of  his  princely  station.  Kings'  sons  are  not  al- 
ways the  heirs  of  kingly  beauty  or  of  kingly  virtues ; 
but  here  was  one  who  had,  at  least,  the  physical  en- 
dowments which  should  fit  him  for  the  dignity  to 
which  he  was  born.  He  was  almost  the  only  man  I 
saw  in  Siam  whose  teeth  were  not  blackened  nor  his 
mouth  distorted  by  the  chewing  of  the  betel-nut. 
For  the  betel-nut  is  in  Siam  what  the  tobacco-cud  is 
in  America,  only  it  is  not,  I  believe,  quite  so  injuri- 
ous to  the  chewer  as  the  tobacco ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  its  use  is  a  little  more  universal.  As  between 
the  two,  for  general  offensiveness,  I  do  not  know  that 
there  is  anything  to  choose. 

The  second  king,  seeking  a  significant  name  for  his 
son,  chose  one  which  had  been  borne,  not  by  an 
Asiatic,  not  by  an  European,  but  by  the  greatest  of 
Americans— George  Washington.  "What's  in  a 
name  ?  "  It  may  provoke  a  smile  at  first,  that  such 
a  use  should  be  made  of  the  name  of  Washington,  as 
if  it  were  the  whim  of  an  ignorant  and  half-savage 


A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN  91 

king.  But  when  it  shall  appear,  as  I  shall  make  it 
appear  before  I  have  finished,  that  the  Siamese  king 
understood  and  appreciated  the  character  of  the  great 
man  after  whom  he  wished  his  son  to  be  called,  I 
think  that  no  American  will  be  content  with  laugh- 

o 

ing  at  him.  I  own  that  it  moved  me  with  something 
more  than  merely  patriotic  pride  to  hear  the  name  of 
Washington  honored  in  the  remotest  corner  of  the  old 
world.  It  seemed  to  me  significant  of  great  progress 
already  achieved  toward  Christian  civilization,  and 
prophetic  of  yet  greater  things  to  come. 

But  as  the  Prince  George  "Washington  walked  on 
with  me,  and  I  revolved  these  great  things  in  my 
mind,  another  turn  was  given  to  my  thoughts.  For 
when  we  had  gone  through  a  pleasant,  shady  court, 
and  had  come  to  the  top  of  a  flight  of  marble  steps 
which  took  us  to  the  door  of  the  king's  house  (a 
plain  and  pleasant  edifice  of  mason-work,  like  the 
residence  of  some  private  gentleman  of  wealth  in  our 
own  country),  I  suddenly  missed  the  young  man  from 
my  side,  and  turned  to  look  for  him.  What  change 
had  come  over  him  !  The  man  had  been  transformed 
into  a  reptile.  The  tall  and  graceful  youth,  princely 
in  look  and  bearing,  was  down  on  all  his  marrow- 
bones, bending  his  head  until  it  almost  touched  the 
pavement  of  the  portico,  and,  crawling  slowly  toward 
the  door,  conducted  me  with  reverent  signs  and 
whispers  toward  the  king,  his  father,  whom  I  saw 
coining  to  meet  us. 

This  was  the  other  side  of  the  picture.  And  I 
draw  out  the  incident  in  detail  because  it  is  character- 
istic of  the  strange  conflict  between  the  old  barbarism 


92  SIAM 

and  the  new  enlightenment  which  meets  one  at  every 
turn  in  the  Land  of  the  "White  Elephant.  There 
are  two  tides — one  is  going  out,  the  ebb-tide  of  ig- 
norance, of  darkness,  of  despotic  power ;  and  one  is 
coming  in — the  flood-tide  of  knowledge  and  liberty 
and  all  Christian  grace.  And,  as  in  the  whirl  of 
waters  where  two  currents  meet,  one  never  knows 
which  way  his  boat  may  head,  so  sometimes  the  drift 
of  things  is  backward  toward  the  Orient,  and  some- 
times forward,  westward,  as  the  "  star  of  empire  " 
moves.  Each  rank  has,  or  until  quite  recently  had, 
some  who  crawl  like  crocodiles  beneath  it,  and  is  in 
its  turn  compelled  to  crawl  before  the  higher.  Nor 
are  the  members  of  a  nobleman's  family  exempt.  I 
was  introduced  once  to  one  of  the  wives  of  a  fat, 
good-natured  prince  (a  half-brother  of  the  two  kings), 
who  was  crawling  around,  with  her  head  downward, 
on  the  floor.  I  offered  my  hand  as  politely  as  was 
possible,  and  she  shuffled  up  to  shake  it,  and  then 
shuffled  off  again  into  a  corner.  It  was  very  queer — 
more  so  than  when  I  shake  hands  with  Trip,  the 
spaniel,  for  then  we  both  of  us  understand  that  it  is 
a  joke — but  here  it  was  a  solemn  and  ceremonious 
act  of  politeness,  and  had  to  be  performed  with  a 
straight  face.  The  good  lady  has  her  revenge,  how- 
ever, and  must  enjoy  it,  when  she  sees  her  fat  hus- 
band, clumsy,  and  almost  as  heavy  as  an  elephant, 
get  down  on  his  hands  and  knees,  as  he  has  to,  in  the 
presence  of  his  majesty  the  king.  I  have  been  told 
that,  when  the  Siamese  embassy  to  Great  Britain 
was  presented  to  the  queen,  before  anybody  knew 
what  they  were  about,  the  ambassadors  were  down  on 


A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN  93 

all  fours,  at  the  entrance  of  the  audience  chamber, 
and  insisted  on  crawling  like  mud-turtles  into  her 
majesty's  presence.  For,  consistently  enough,  the 
court  of  Siani  requires  of  foreigners  only  what  eti- 
quette requires  in  the  presence  of  the  king  or  pres- 
ident of  their  own  country — but  when  its  represent- 
atives are  sent  to  foreign  courts  they  carry  their  own 
usage  with  them.  I  felt  a  pardonable  pride,  and  a 
little  kindling  of  the  "  Civis-Romanus-sum"  spirit, 
and  an  appreciable  stiffening  of  the  spinal  column  as 
I  walked  straight  forward,  while  Prince  George 
Washington  crawled  beside  me.  Blessed  was  the 
man  who  walked  uprightly. 

Hal  leek,  the  sprightliest  poet  of  his  native  State, 
in  verse  which  will  be  always  dear  to  all  who  love 
that  good  old  commonwealth,  has  told  us  how  a  true 
son  of  Connecticut 

"  Would  shake  hands  with  a  king  upon  his  throne 
And  think  it  kindness  to  his  majesty." 

Of  course,  then,  as  the  king  came  toward  the  portico 
and  met  us  at  the  door,  that  was  the  thing  to  do, 
being  also  the  etiquette  at  the  court  of  James  Bu- 
chanan, who  then  reigned  at  Washington.  But  not 
even  that  venerable  functionary,  whose  manners  I 
have  been  given  to  understand  were  one  of  his  strong 
points,  could  have  welcomed  a  guest  with  more  gen- 
tlemanly politeness  than  that  with  which  this  king 
of  a  barbarous  people  welcomed  me.  He  spoke  good 
English,  and  spoke  it  fluently,  and  knew  how,  with 
gentlemanly  tact,  to  put  his  visitor  straightway  at 
his  ease.  It  was  hard  to  believe  that  I  was  in  a  re- 


94  8IAM 

mote  and  almost  unknown  corner  of  the  old  world, 
and  not  in  the  new.  The  conversation  was  such  as 
might  take  place  between  two  gentlemen  in  a  New 
York  parlor.  On  every  side  were  evidences  of  an 
intelligent  and  cultivated  taste.  The  room  in  which 
we  sat  was  decorated  with  engravings,  maps,  busts, 
statuettes.  The  book-cases  were  filled  with  well- 
selected  volumes,  handsomely  bound.  There  were, 
I  remember,  various  encyclopaedias  and  scientific 
works.  There  was  the  Abbottsford  edition  of  the 
"VVaverly  novels,  and  a  bust  of  the  great  Sir  Walter 
overhead.  There  were  some  religious  works,  the 
gift,  probably,  of  the  American  missionaries.  And, 
as  if  his  majesty  had  seen  the  advertisements  in  the 
newspapers  which  implore  a  discriminating  public  to 
"  get  the  best,"  there  were  two  copies  of  Webster's 
quarto  dictionary,  unabridged.  Moreover,  the  king 
called  my  particular  attention  to  these  two  volumes, 
and,  as  if  to  settle  the  war  of  the  dictionaries  by  an 
authoritative  opinion,  said  :  "  I  like  it  very  much  ;  I 
think  it  the  best  dictionary,  better  than  any  English." 
Accordingly  the  publishers  are  hereby  authorized  to 
insert  the  recommendation  of  the  second  king  of 
Siam,  with  the  complimentary  notices  of  other  dis- 
tinguished critics,  in  their  published  advertisements. 
On  the  table  lay  a  recent  copy  of  the  London  Illus- 
•trated  News,  to  which  the  king  is  a  regular  sub- 
scriber, and  of  which  he  is  an  interested  reader. 
There  was  in  it,  I  remember,  a  description,  with  dia- 
grams, of  some  new  invention  of  fire-arms,  concern- 
ing which  he  wished  my  opinion,  but  he  knew  much 
more  about  it  than  I  did.  Some  reference  was  made 


A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN  95 

to  my  native  city,  and  I  rose  to  show  on  the  map, 
which  hung  before  me,  where  it  was  situated,  but  I 
found  that  he  knew  it  very  well,  and  especially  that 
"  they  made  plenty  of  guns  there."  For  guns  and 
military  affairs  he  had  a  great  liking,  and  indeed  for 
all  sorts  of  science.  He  was  expert  in  the  use  of 
quadrant  and  sextant,  and  could  take  a  lunar  obser- 
vation and  work  it  out  with  accuracy.  He  had  his 
army,  distinct  from  the  first  king's  soldiers,  disci- 
plined and  drilled  according  to  European  tactics. 
Their  orders  were  given  in  English  and  were  obeyed 
with  great  alacrity.  He  had  a  band  of  Siamese 
musicians  who  performed  on  European  instruments, 
though  I  am  bound  to  say  that  their  performance 
was  characterized  by  force  rather  than  by  harmony. 
He  made  them  play  "  Yankee  Doodle,"  and  "  Hail 
Columbia,"  but  if  I  enjoyed  it,  it  was  rather  with  a 
patriotic  than  with  a  musical  enthusiasm.  "When 
they  played  their  own  rude  music  it  was  vastly  bet- 
ter. But  the  imperfections  of  the  band  were  of  very 
small  importance  compared  with  the  good  will  which 
had  prompted  the  king  to  make  them  learn  the 
American  national  airs.  That  good  will  expressed 
itself  in  various  ways.  His  majesty,  who  wrote  an 
elegant  autograph,  kept  up  a  correspondence  with 
the  captain  of  our  ship  for  a  long  time  after  our 
visit.  And  when  the  captain,  a  few  years  later,  had 
risen  to  the  rank  of  Admiral,  and  had  made  the 
name  of  Foote  illustrious  in  his  country's  annals,  the 
king  wrote  to  him,  expressing  his  deep  interest  in 
the  progress  of  our  conflict  with  rebellion,  and  his 
sincere  desire  for  the  success  of  our  national  cause. 


96  SIAM 

When  kings  and  peoples,  bound  to  ns  by  the  ties  of 
language  and  kindred  and  religion,  misunderstood  us, 
and  gave  words  of  sneering  censure,  or  else  no  words 
at  all,  as  we  were  fighting  with  the  dragon,  this  king 
of  an  Asiatic  people,  of  different  speech,  of  different 
race,  of  different  religion,  found  words  of  intelligent 
and  appreciative  cheer  for  us.  He  had  observed  the 
course  of  our  history,  the  growth  of  our  nation,  the 
principles  of  our  government.  And  though  we  knew 
very  little  about  him  and  his  people,  he  was  thor- 
oughly informed  concerning  us.  So  that,  as  I  talked 
with  him,  and  saw  the  refinement  and  good  taste 
which  displayed  itself  in  his  manners  and  in  his 
dwelling,  and  the  minute  knowledge  of  affairs  which 
his  conversation  showed,  I  began  to  wonder  on  what 
subjects  I  should  find  him  ignorant.  Once  or  twice  I 
involuntarily  expressed  my  amazement,  and  provoked 
a  good-natured  laugh  from  the  king,  who  seemed 
quite  to  understand  it. 

And  yet  this  gentlemanly  and  well-informed  man 
was  black.  And  lie  wore  no  trousers — the  mention 
of  which  fact  reminds  me  that  I  have  not  told  what 
he  did  wear.  First  of  all,  he  wore  very  little  hair  on 
his  head,  conforming  in  this  respect  to  the  universal 
fashion  among  his  countrymen,  and  shaving  all  but  a 
narrow  ridge  of  hair  between  the  crown  and  the  fore- 
head ;  and  this  is  cut  off  at  the  height  of  an  inch,  so 
that  it  stands  straight  up,  looking  for  all  the  world 
like  a  stiff  blacking-brush,  only  it  can  never  be 
needed  for  such  a  purpose,  because  no  Siamese  wears 
shoes.  I  think  the  first  king,  when  we  called  upon 
him,  had  on  a  pair  of  slippers,  but  the  second  king, 


A  ROYAL   GENTLEMAN  97 

if  I  remember,  was  barefooted — certainly  lie  was 
barelegged.  Wound  about  his  waist  and  hanging  to 
his  knees  was  a  scarf  of  rich,  heavy  silk,  which  one 
garment  is  the  entire  costume  of  ordinary  life  in 
Siam.  The  common  people,  of  course,  must  have  it 
of  cheap  cotton,  but  the  nobles  wear  silk  of  beautiful 
quality  and  pattern,  and  when  this  is  wound  around 
the  waist  so  that  the  folds  hang  to  the  knees,  and  the 
ends  are  thrown  over  the  shoulders,  they  are  dressed. 
On  state  occasions  something  is  added  to  this  cos- 
tume, and  on  all  occasions  there  will  be  likely  to  be  a 
wonderful  display  of  jewels  and  of  gold.  So  now, 
the  light  would  flash  once  in  a  while  from  the  superb 
diamond  finger-rings  which  the  king  whom  I  am  de- 
er ibing  wore.  He  wore  above  his  scarf  a  loose  sack 
of  dark-blue  cloth,  fastened  with  a  few  gold  buttons, 
with  a  single  band  of  gold-lace  on  the  sleeves,  and  an 
inch  or  two  of  gold-lace  on  the  collar.  Half  Euro- 
pean, half  Oriental  in  his  dress,  he  had  combined  the 
two  styles  with  more  of  good  taste  than  one  could 
have  expected.  It  was  characteristic  of  that  transi- 
tion from  barbarism  to  civilization  upon  which  his 
kingdom  is  just  entering. 

The  same  process  of  transition  and  the  same  con- 
trast between  the  two  points  of  the  transition  was 
expressed  in  other  ways.  If  it  be  true,  for  example, 
that  cookery  is  a  good  index  of  civilization,  there 
came  in  presently  most  civilized  cakes  and  tea  and 
coffee,  as  nicely  made  as  if,  by  some  mysterious 
dumb-waiter  they  had  come  down  fresh  from  the 
restaurants  of  Paris.  The  king  made  the  tea  and 
coffee  with  his  own  hand,  and  with  the  conventional 


98  SIAM 

inquiry,  "  Cream  and  sugar  ? " — and  the  refreshments 
were  served  in  handsome  dishes  of  solid  silver.     Be- 
sides, I  might  have  smoked  a  pipe,  quite  wonderful 
by  reason  of  the  richness  of  its  ornament,  or  drunk 
his  majesty's  health  in  choice  wines  of  his  own  impor- 
tation.    The  refreshment  which  was  furnished  was 
elegant  and  ample,  and,  if  taken  as  an  index  of  civili- 
zation, indicated  that  the  court  of  the  White  Ele- 
phant need  not  be  ashamed,  even  by  the  side  of  some 
that  made  much  higher  claims.     But,  on  the  other 
hand,  while  the  lunch  was  going  on,  Prince  George 
Washington  and  a  great  tawny  dog  who  answered  to 
the  name  of  "  Watch,"  lay  prostrate  with  obsequious 
reverence  on  the  floor,  receiving  with  great  respect 
and  gratitude  any  word  that  the  king  might  deign  to 
fling  to  them.     One  or  two  noblemen  were  also  pres- 
ent in  the  same  attitude.     Presently  there  came  into 
the  room  one  of  the  king's  little  children,  a  beautiful 
boy  of  three  or  four  years  old,  who  dropped  on  his 
knees  and  lifted  his  joined  hands  in  reverence  toward 
his  father.     It  was  quite  the  attitude  that  one  sees  in 
some  of  the  pictures  of  "  little  Samuel," — as  if  the 
king  were  more  than  man.     After  the  child — whose 
sole  costume  consisted  of  a  string  or  two  of  gold 
beads,  jewelled,  and  perhaps  a  pair  of  bracelets — 
crawled  his  mother,  who  joined  the  group  of  pros- 
trate subjects.     The  little  boy,  by  reason  of  his  ten- 
der age,  was  allowed  more  liberty  than  the  others, 
and  moved  about  almost  as  unembarrassed  as  the  big 
dog   "Watch;"  but   when  he  grows  older  he  will 
humble   himself  like  the  others.     To  see  men   and 
women  degraded  literally  to  a  level  with  the  beasts 


A  ROYAL   GENTLEMAN  99 

that  perish  was  all  the  more  strange  and  sad  by  con- 
trast with  the  civilization  which  was  shown  in  the 
conversation  and  manners  of  the  king,  and  in  all  the 
furniture  of  his  palace.  I  half  expected  to  see  the 
portrait  of  the  real  George  "Washington  on  the  wall 
blush  with  shame  and  indignation  as  it  looked  down 
on  the  reptile  attitude  of  his  namesake ;  and  I  felt  a 
sensation  of  relief  when,  at  last,  it  became  time  for 
me  to  leave,  and  the  young  prince,  crawling  after  me 
until  we  reached  the  steps,  was  once  more  on  his 
legs. 

But  it  seemed  to  me  then,  and  a  subsequent  inter- 
view with  the  king  confirmed  the  feeling,  that  I  had 
been  in  one  of  the  most  remarkable  palaces,  and  with 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  men,  in  the  world. 
Twice  afterward  I  saw  him  ;  once  when  our  captain 
and  a  detachment  of  the  officers  of  the  ship  waited 
upon  him  by  his  invitation,  and  spent  a  most  agree- 
able evening,  socially,  enlivened  with  music  by  the 
band,  and  broadsword  and  musket  exercise  by  a 
squad  of  troops,  and  refreshed  by  a  handsome  supper 
in  the  dining-room  of  the  palace,  on  the  walls  of 
which  hung  engravings  of  all  the  American  Presi- 
dents from  Washington  down  to  Jackson.  I  do  not 
know  who  enjoyed  the  evening  most ;  the  king,  to 
whom  the  companionship  of  educated  foreigners  was 
a  luxury  which  he  could  not  always  command,  or  we, 
to  whom  the  strange  spectacle  which  I  have  been 
trying  to  describe  was  one  at  which  the  more  we 
gazed  the  more  "  the  wonder  grew."  Indeed,  we  felt 
so  pleasantly  at  home  that  when  we  said  good-by, 
and  left  the  pleasant,  comfortable,  home-like  rooms 


100  SI  AM 

in  which  we  had  been  sitting,  the  piano  and  the  mu- 
sical boxes,  the  cheery  hospitality  of  our  good-natured 
host,  and  dropped  down  the  river  to  the  narrow 
quarters  of  our  ship,  it  was  with  something  of  the 
sadness  which  attends  the  parting  from  one's  native 
land,  when  the  loved  faces  on  the  shore  grow  dim 
and  disappear,  and  the  swelling  canvas  overhead  fills 
and  stiffens  with  the  seaward  wind. 

We  had  an  opportunity  of  repaying  something  of 
the  king's  politeness,  for,  in  response  to  an  invitation 
of  the  captain,  he  did  what  no  king  had  ever  done 
before — came  down  the  river  and  spent  an  hour  or 
two  on  board  our  ship  (the  U.  S.  sloop-of-war  Ports- 
mouth, Captain  A.  H.  Foote  commanding),  and  was 
received  with  royal  honors,  even  to  the  manning  of 
the  yards.  We  made  him  heartily  welcome,  and  the 
captain  gave  the  handsomest  dinner  which  the  skill 
of  Johnson,  his  experienced  steward,  could  prepare — 
that  venerable  colored  person  recognizing  the  impor- 
tance of  the  occasion,  and  aware  that  he  might  never 
again  be  called  upon  to  get  a  dinner  for  a  king.  The 
captain  did  not  fail  to  ask  a  blessing  as  they  drew 
about  the  table,  taking  pains  to  explain  to  his  guest 
the  sacred  significance  of  that  Christian  act — for  it 
was  at  such  a  time  as  this,  especially,  that  the  good 
admiral  was  wont  to  show  the  colors  of  the  "  King 
Eternal  "  whom  he  served.  The  royal  party  carefully 
inspected  the  whole  ship,  with  shrewd  and  intelligent 
curiosity,  and  before  they  left  we  hoisted  the  white 
elephant  at  the  fore,  and  our  big  guns  roared  forth 
the  king's  salute.  Nor  was  one  visit  enough,  but  the 
next  day  he  came  again,  retiring  for  the  night  to  the 


A  ROYAL  GENTLEMAN  101 

little  steamer  on  which  he  had  made  the  journey 
down  the  river  from  Bangkok.  It  was  a  little  fussy 
thing,  just  big  enough  to  hold  its  machinery  and  to 
carry  its  paddle-wheels,  but  was  dignified  with  the 
imposing  name  of  "  Royal  Seat  or  Siamese  Steam 
Force."  It  was  made  in  the  United  States,  and  pat 
together  by  one  of  the  American  missionaries  in 
Bangkok.  It  was  then  the  only  steamer  in  the 
Siamese  waters,  but  it  proved  to  be  the  pioneer  of 
many  others  that  have  made  the  Meinam  River  lively 
with  the  stir  of  an  increasing  commerce. 

At  the  death  of  the  second  king,  in  1866,  his  elder 
brother  issued  a  royal  document  containing  a  bio- 
graphical sketch  and  an  estimate  of  his  character. 
It  is  written  in  the  peculiar  style,  pedantic  and  con- 
ceited, by  which  the  first  king's  literary  efforts  are 
distinguished,  but  an  extract  from  it  deserves  on  all 
accounts  to  be  quoted.  These  two  brothers,  both  of 
extraordinary  talents,  and,  on  the  whole,  of  illustrious 
character  and  history,  lived  for  the  most  part  on 
terms  of  fraternal  attachment  and  kindness,  although 
some  natural  jealousy  would  seem  to  have  grown  up 
during  the  last  few  years  of  their  lives,  leading  to  the 
temporary  retirement  of  the  second  king  to  a  country- 
seat  near  Chieng  Mai,  in  the  hill-country  of  the 
Upper  Meinam.  Here  he  spent  much  of  his  time 
during  his  last  years,  and  here  he  added  to  his  harem 
a  new  wife,  to  whom  he  was  tenderly  attached.  He 
returned  to  Bangkok  to  die,  and  was  sincerely 
honored  and  lamented,  not  only  by  his  own  people, 
to  whom  he  had  been  a  wise  and  faithful  friend  and 
ruler,  but  also  by  many  of  other  lands,  to  whom  the 


102  SIAM 

fame  of  his  high  character  had  become  known.  His 
brother's  "general  order"  announcing  his  decease, 
contains  the  following  paragraph  : 

"  He  made  everything  new  and  beautiful  and  of 
curious  appearance,  and  of  a  good  style  of  architecture 
and  much  stronger  than  they  had  formerly  been  con- 
structed by  his  three  predecessors,  the  second  kings  of 
the  last  three  reigns,  for  the  space  of  time  that  he 
was  second  king.  He  had  introduced  and  collected 
many  and  many  things,  being  articles  of  great  curios- 
ity, and  things  useful  for  various  purposes  of  military 
arts  and  affairs,  from  Europe  and  America,  China 
and  other  states,  and  planted  them  in  various  de- 
partments and  rooms  or  buildings  suitable  for  these 
articles,  and  placed  officers  for  maintaining  and 
preserving  the  various  things  neatly  and  carefully. 
He  lias  constructed  several  buildings  in  European 
fashion  and  Chinese  fashion,  and  ornamented  them 
with  various  useful  ornaments  for  his  pleasure,  and 
has  constructed  two  steamers  in  manner  of  men-of- 
war,  and  two  steam-yachts  and  several  rowing  state- 
boats  in  Siamese  and  Cochin-China  fashion,  for  his 
pleasure  at  sea  and  rivers  of  Siam  ;  and  caused  sev- 
eral articles  of  gold  and  silver,  being  vessels  and  va- 
rious wares  and  weapons,  to  be  made  up  by  the  Siam- 
ese and  Malayan  goldsmiths,  for  employ  and  dress 
for  himself  and  his  family,  by  his  direction  and  skilful 
contrivance  and  ability.  He  became  celebrated  and 
spread  out  more  and  more  to  various  regions  of  the 
Siamese  kingdom,  adjacent  states  around,  and  far 
famed  to  foreign  countries  even  at  far  distance,  as  he 
became  acquainted  with  many  and  many  foreigners, 


A  EOTAL  GENTLEMAN  103 

who  came  from  various  quarters  of  the  world  where 
his  name  became  known  to  most  as  a  very  clever  and 
bravest  prince  of  Siam." 

Much  more  of  this  royal  document  is  quoted  in 
Mrs.  Leonowens'  "English  Governess  at  the  Court  of 
Siam." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PHRABAT  SOMDETCH  PHRA  PARAMENDR  MAHA  MONG- 
KUT 

IN"  some  respects  the  most  conspicuous  name  in  the 
history  of  the  civilization  of  Siam  will  always  be 
that  of  the  king  under  whose  enlightened  and  liberal 
administration  of  government  the  kingdom  was  thrown 
open  to  foreign  intercourse,  and  the  commerce,  the 
science,  and  even  the  religion  of  the  western  world  ac- 
cepted if  not  invited.  His  son,  the  present  first  king, 
is  following  in  the  steps  of  his  father,  and  has  already 
introduced  some  noteworthy  leforms  and  changes,  the 
importance  of  which  is  very  great.  But  the  way  wTas 
opened  for  these  changes  by  the  wise  and  bold  policy 
of  the  late  king,  whose  death,  in  1868,  closed  a  career 
of  usefulness  which  entitles  him  to  a  high  place  among 
the  benefactors  of  his  age. 

A  description  of  this  king  and  of  his  court  is  fur- 
nished from  the  same  editorial  narrative  from  which 
the  last  two  chapters  have  been  chiefly  quoted.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  the  period  to  which  the  nar- 
rative refers  is  the  year  1857,  the  time  of  the  visit  of 
the  Portsmouth,  with  the  ratification  of  the  American 
treaty. 

His  majesty,  the  first  king  of  Siam,  kindly  gives  us 
our  choice  of  titles  by  which,  and  of  languages  in 


THE    LATE    FIRST    KING    AND  QUEEN. 


PHRABAT  SOMDETCH  105 

wliicli,  lie  may  be  designated.  To  his  own  people  he 
appears  in  an  array  of  syllables  sufficiently  astonish- 
ing to  our  eyes  and  ears,  as  Phrabat  Somdetch  Phra 
Paramendr  Haha  Mongkut  Phra  Chan  Klau  Chan  Yu 
Ilud  ;  but  to  outsiders  he  announces  himself  as  sim- 
ply the  first  king  of  Siam  and  its  dependencies ;  or,  in 
treaties  and  other  official  documents,  as  "  Rex  Major," 
or  "  Supremus  Rex  Siamensium."  The  Latin  is  his, 
not  mine.  And  I  am  bound  to  acknowledge  that  the 
absolute  supremacy  which  the  "  supremus  "  indicates 
is  qualified  by  his  recognition  of  the  "blessing  of 
highest  and  greatest  superagency  of  the  universe,"  by 
which  blessing  his  own  sovereignty  exists.  He  has 
been  quick  to  learn  the  maxim  which  monarchs  are 
not  ever  slow  to  learn  nor  slow  to  use,  that  "  Kings 
reign  by  the  grace  of  God."  And  it  is,  to  say  the 
least,  a  safe  conjecture  that  the  maxim  has  as  much 
power  over  his  conscience  as  it  has  had  over  the  con- 
sciences of  some  kings  much  more  civilized  and  ortho- 
dox than  he. 

This  polyglot  variety  of  titles  indicates  a  varied, 
though  somewhat  superficial,  learning.  Before  he 
came  to  the  throne  the  king  had  lived  for  several 
years  in  the  seclusion  of  a  Buddhist  monastery.  Pro- 
motion from  the  priesthood  to  the  throne  is  an  event 
so  unusual  in  any  country  except  Siam,  that  it  might 
seem  full  of  risk.  But  in  this  instance  it  worked  well. 
During  the  years  of  his  monastic  life  he  grew  to  be  a 
thoughtful,  studious  man,  and  he  brought  with  him 
to  his  kingly  office  a  wide  familiarity  with  literature 
which  marked  him  as  a  scholar  who  knew  the  world 
through  books  rather  than  through  men.  His  manner 


106  SIAM 

of  speaking  English  was  less  easy  and  accurate  than 
his  brother's ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  "  pomp  and 
circumstance"  of  his  court  was  statelier  and  stranger, 
and  is  worthy  of  a  better  description.  The  second 
king  received  us  with  such  gentlemanly  urbanity  and 
freedom  that  it  was  hard  to  realize  the  fact  that  we 
were  in  the  presence  of  royalty.  But  our  reception 
by  the  first  king  was  arranged  on  what  the  news- 
papers would  call  "  a  scale  of  Oriental  magnificence," 
and  it  lingers  in  memory  like  some  dreamy  recollec- 
tion of  the  splendors  of  the  Arabian  Nights. 

One  of  the  most  singular  illustrations  of  the  nps 
and  downs  of  nations  and  of  races  which  history  af- 
fords, is  to  be  seen  in  the  position  of  the  Portuguese 
in  Siam.  They  came  there  centuries  ago  as  a  supe- 
rior race,  in  all  the  dignity  and  pride  of  discoverers, 
and  with  all  the  romantic  daring  of  adventurous  ex- 
ploration. Now  there  is  only  a  worn-out  remnant  of 
them  left,  degraded  almost  to  the  level  of  the  Asiat- 
ics, to  whom  they  brought  the  name  and  knowledge 
of  the  Western  world.  They  have  mixed  with  the 
Siamese,  till,  at  the  first,  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish 
them  as  having  European  blood  and  lineage.  But 
when  we  asked  who  the  grotesque  old  creatures 
might  be  who  came  to  us  on  messages  from  the  king, 
or  guided  us  when  we  went  to  see  the  wonders  of  the 
city,  or  superintended  the  cooking  of  our  meals,  or  per- 
formed various  menial  services  about  our  dwelling, 
we  found  that  they  were  half-breed  descendants  of 
the  Portuguese  who  once  flourished  here.  When  we 
landed  at  the  month  of  the  river  on  our  way  to  Bang- 
kok for  an  audience  with  the  king,  one  of  the  first 


PHRABAT  SOMDETGH  107 

persons  whom  we  encountered  was  one  of  these  de- 
moralized Europeans.  He  made  a  ridiculous  asser- 
tion of  his  lineage  in  the  style  of  his  costume.  Dis- 
daining the  Siamese  fashions,  he  had  made  for 
himself  or  had  inherited  a  swallow-tailed  coat  of  sky- 
blue  silk,  and  pantaloons  of  purple  silk,  in  which  he 
seemed  to  feel  himself  the  equal  of  any  of  us.  Had 
any  doubt  as  to  his  ancestry  lingered  in  our  minds, 
it  must  have  been  removed  by  a  most  ancient  and 
honorable  stove-pipe  hat,  which  had  evidently  been 
handed  down  from  father  to  son,  through  the  gener- 
ations, as  a  rusty  relic  of  grander  days.  This  old 
gentleman  was  in  charge  of  a  bountiful  supply  of 
provisions  which  the  king  had  sent  for  us.  It  was 
hard  not  to  moralize  over  the  old  man  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  a  nation  which  had  all  the  time  been 
going  backward  since  it  led  the  van  of  discovery  in 
the  Indies  centuries  ago ;  while  the  people  whom  his 
ancestors  found  heathenish  and  benighted  are  start- 
ing on  a  career  of  improvement  and  elevation  of 
which  no  man  can  prophesy  the  rate  or  the  result. 

The  old  Portuguese  referred  to  would  seem  to  be 
the  same  whom  Sir  John  Bowring  mentions  in  the 
following  passage,  and  who  has  been  so  long  a  faith- 
ful servant  of  the  government  of  Siam  that  his  great 
age  and  long-continued  services  entitle  him  to  a  word 
of  honorable  mention,  notwithstanding  the  droll  ap- 
pearance which  he  presented  in  his  remarkable  cos- 
tume. Sir  John  Bowring,  writing  in  1856,  says  : 

"  Among  the  descendants  of  the  ancient  Portu- 
guese settlers  in  Siam  there  was  one  who  especially 
excited  our  attention.  lie  was  the  master  of  the 


108  SI  AM 

ceremonies  at  our  arrival  in  Paknam,  and  from  his 
supposed  traditional  or  hereditary  acquaintance  with 
the  usages  of  European  courts,  we  found  him  invested 
with  great  authority  on  all  state  occasions.  He  wore 
a  European  court  dress,  which  he  told  me  had  been 
given  him  by  Sir  James  Brooke,  and  which,  like  a 
rusty,  old  cocked  hat,  was  somewhat  the  worse  for 
wear.  But  I  was  not  displeased  to  recognize  in  him 
a  gentleman  whom  Mr.  Crawford  (the  British  am- 
bassador in  1822)  thus  describes  : 

"'July  10  (1822).  I  had  in  the  course  of  this 
forenoon  a  visit  from  a  person  of  singular  modesty 
and  intelligence.  Pascal  Ribeiro  de  Alvergarias,  the 
descendant  of  a  Portuguese  Christian  of  Kamboja. 
This  gentleman  holds  a  high  Siamese  title,  and  a 
post  of  considerable  importance.  Considering  his 
means  and  situation,  his  acquirements  were  remark- 
able, for  he  not  only  spoke  and  wrote  the  Siamese, 
Kambojan,  and  Portuguese  languages  with  facility, 
but  also  spoke  and  wrote  Latin  with  considerable 
propriety.  We  found,  indeed,  a  smattering  of  Latin 
very  frequent  among  the  Portuguese  interpreters  at 
Bangkok,  but  Senor  Ribeiro  was  the  only  individual 
who  made  any  pretence  to  speak  it  with  accuracy. 
He  informed  us  that  he  was  the  descendant  of  a 
person  of  the  same  name,  who  settled  at  Kamboja 
in  the  year  1685.  His  lady's  genealogy,  however, 
interested  us  more  than  his  own.  She  was  the  lin- 
eal descendant  of  an  Englishman,  of  the  name  of 
Charles  Lister,  a  merchant,  who  settled  in  Kamboja 
in  the  year  1701,  and  who  had  acquired  some  repu- 
tation at  the  court  by  making  pretence  to  a  knowl- 


ONE    OF    THE    SONS    OF    THE   LATE    FIRST    KING. 


PHRABAT  SOMDETCH  109 

edge  in  medicine.  Charles  Lister  had  come  imme- 
diately from  Madras,  and  brought  with  him  his  sister. 
This  lady  espoused  a  Portuguese  of  Kamboja,  by 
whom  she  had  a  son,  who  took  her  own  name.  Her 
grandson,  of  this  name  also,  in  the  revolution  of  the 
kingdom  of  Kamboja,  found  his  way  to  Siarn  ;  and 
here,  like  his  great-uncle,  practising  the  healing  art, 
rose  to  the  station  of  Maha-pet,  or  first  physician  to 
the  king.  The  son  of  this  individual,  Cajitanus  Lis- 
ter, is  at  present  the  physician,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  minister  and  confidential  adviser  of  the  present 
King  of  Kamboja.  His  sister  is  the  wife  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  short  notice.  Sefior  Ribeiro  favored  us 
with  the  most  authentic  and  satisfactory  account 
which  we  had  yet  obtained  of  the  late  revolution  and 
present  state  of  Kamboja.'" 

It  is  not  safe  always  to  judge  by  the  appearance. 
This  grotesque  old  personage,  whom  the  narrative 
describes,  represented  a  story  of  strange  and  roman- 
tic interest,  extending  through  two  centuries  of  won- 
derful vicissitude,  and  involving  the  blending  of 
widely  separated  nationalities.  But  to  resume  the 
narrative : 

When  at  last,  after  our  stay  in  Bangkok  was  al- 
most at  an  end,  we  were  invited  by  "  supremus  rex  " 
to  spend  the  evening  at  his  palace,  we  found  our 
friend  of  the  beaver  hat  and  sky-blue  coat  and  purple 
breeches  in  charge  of  a  squad  of  attendants  in  one  of 
the  outer  buildings  of  the  court,  where  we  were  to 
beguile  the  time  with  more  refreshments  until  his 
majesty  should  be  ready  for  us.  Everything  about 
us  was  on  a  larger  scale  than  at  the  second  king's — 


110  8IAM 

the  grounds  more  spacious,  and  the  various  structures 
with  which  they  were  filled,  the  temples,  armories, 
and  storehouses,  of  more  ambitious  size  and  style, 
but  not  so  neat  and  orderly.  A  crowd  of  admiring 
spectators  clustered  about  the  windows  of  the  room 
in  which  we  were  waiting,  watching  with  breathless 
interest  to  see  the  strangers  eat:  so  that  as  we  sat  in 
all  the  glory  of  cocked  hats  and  epaulets,  we  had  the 
double  satisfaction  of  giving  and  receiving  entertain- 
ment. 

But  presently  there  came  a  messenger  to  sa}T  that 
the  king  was  ready  for  us.  And  so  we  walked  on 
between  the  sentries,  who  saluted  us  with  military 
exactness,  between  the  stately  halls  that  ran  on  either 
hand,  until  a  large,  closed  gateway  barred  our  way. 
Swinging  open  as  we  stood  before  them,  the  gates 
closed  silently  behind  us,  and  we  found  ourselves  in 
the  august  presence  of  "  Rex  Supremos  Siamensium." 

It  might  almost  have  been  "  the  good  Haronn  Al- 
raschid  "  and  "  the  great  pavilion  of  the  caliphat  in 
inmost  Bagdad,"  that  we  had  come  to,  it  was  so  impos- 
ing a  scene,  and  so  characteristically  Oriental.  What 
I  had  read  of  in  the  "  Arabian  ^sights,"  and  hardly 
thought  was  possible  except  in  such  romantic  stories, 
seemed  to  be  realized.  Here  was  a  king  worth  see- 
ing, a  real  king,  with  a  real  crown  on,  and  with  real 
pomp  of  royalty  about  him.  I  think  that  every 
American  who  goes  abroad  has  a  more  or  less  dis- 
tinct sense  of  being  defrauded  of  his  just  rights 
when,  in  Paris  or  Berlin,  for  example,  he  goes  out 
to  see  the  king  or  emperor,  and  is  shown  a  plainly- 
dressed  man  driving  quietly  and  almost  undistin- 


PIIRABAT  SOMDETGH  111 

gnislied  among  the  throng  of  carriages.  "We  feel 
that  this  is  not  at  all  what  we  came  for,  nor  what  we 
had  been  led  to  expect  when,'  as  schoolboys,  we  read 
about  imperial  magnificence  and  regal  splendor,  and 
the  opulence  of  the  "  crowned  heads."  The  crowned 
head  might  have  passed  before  our  very  eyes,  and 
we  would  not  have  known  it  if  we  had  not  been  told. 
Not  so  in  Bangkok.  This  was  "  a  goodly  king "  in- 
deed. And  all  the  circumstances  of  time  and  place 
seemed  to  be  so  managed  as  to  intensify  the  singular 
charm  and  beauty  of  the  scene. 

We  stood  in  a  large  court,  paved  with  broad, 
smooth  slabs  of  marble,  and  open  to  the  sky,  which 
was  beginning  to  be  rosy  with  the  sunset.  All  about 
us  were  magnificent  palace  buildings,  with  shining 
white  walls,  and  with  roofs  of  gleaming  green  and 
gold.  Broad  avenues,  with  the  same  marble  pave- 
ment, led  in  various  directions  to  the  temples  and 
the  audience  halls.  Here  and  there  the  dazzling 
whiteness  of  the  buildings  and  the  pavement  was  re- 
lieved by  a  little  dark  tropical  foliage  ;  and,  as  th« 
sunset  grew  more  ruddy  every  instant, 

"  A  sudden  splendor  from  behind 
Flushed  all  the  leaves  with  rich  gold  green," 

and  tinged  the  whole  bright  court  with  just  the 
necessary  warmth  of  color.  There  was  the  most  per- 
fect stillness,  broken  only  by  the  sound  of  our  foot- 
steps on  the  marble,  and,  except  ourselves,  not  a 
creature  was  moving.  Here  and  there,  singly  or  in 
groups,  about  the  spacious  court,  prostrate,  with  faces 
on  the  stone,  in  motionless  arid  obsequious  reverence, 


112  SI  AM 

as  if  they  were  in  the  presence  of  a  god  and  not  of  a 
man,  grovelled  the  subjects  of  the  mighty  sovereign 
into  whose  presence  we  were  approaching.  It  was 
hard  for  the  stoutest  democrat  to  resist  a  momentary 
feeling  of  sympathy  with  such  universal  awe ;  and  to 
remember  that,  after  all,  as  Hamlet  says,  a  "king  is 
a  thing  ...  of  nothing."  So  contagious  is  the 
obsequiousness  of  a  royal  court  and  so  admirably  ef- 
fective was  the  arrangement  of  the  whole  scene. 

The  group  toward  which  we  were  advancing  was  a 
good  way  in  front  of  the  gateway  by  which  we  had 
entered.  There  was  a  crouching  sword-bearer,  hold- 
ing upright  a  long  sword  in  a  heavily  embossed 
golden  scabbard.  There  were  other  attendants,  hold- 
ing jewel-cases  or  elegant  betel-nut  boxes — all  pros- 
trate. There  were  others  still  ready  to  crawl  off  in. 
obedience  to  orders,  on  whatever  errands  might  be 
necessary.  There  were  three  or  four  very  beautiful 
little  children,  the  king's  sons,  kneeling  behind  their 
father,  and  shining  with  the  chains  of  jewelled  gold 
which  hung  about  their  naked  bodies.  More  in 
front  there  crouched  a  servant  holding  high  a  splen- 
did golden  canopy,  beneath  which  stood  the  king. 
He  wore  a  grass-cloth  jacket,  loosely  buttoned  with 
diamonds,  and  a  rich  silken  scarf,  which,  wound  about 
the  waist,  hung  gracefully  to  his  knees.  Below  this 
was  an  unadorned  exposure  of  bare  shins,  and  his 
feet  were  loosely  slippered.  But  on  his  head  he 
wore  a  cap  or  crown  that  fairly  blazed  with  brilliant 
gems,  some  of  them  of  great  size  and  value.  There 
was  not  wanting  in  his  manner  a  good  deal  of  natural 
dignity ;  although  it  was  constrained  and  embar- 


PHRABAT  SOMDETCH  113 

rassed.  It  was  in  marked  contrast  with  the  cheer- 
ful and  unceremonious  freedom  of  the  second  king. 
He  seemed  burdened  with  the  care  of  government 
and  saddened  with  anxiety,  and  as  if  he  knew  his 
share  of  the  uneasiness  of  "  the  head  that  wears  a 
crown." 

He  stood  in  conversation  with  us  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, and  then  led  the  way  to  a  little  portico  in  the 
Chinese  style  of  architecture,  where  we  sat  through 
an  hour  of  talk,  and  drink,  and  jewelry,  mixed  in 
pretty  equal  proportions.  For  there  were  some  de- 
tails of  business  in  connection  with  the  treaty  that 
required  to  be  talked  over.  And  there  were  senti- 
ments of  international  amity  to  be  proposed  and 
drunk  after  the  Occidental  fashion.  And  there  were 
the  magnificent  royal  diamonds  and  other  gems  to 
be  produced  for  our  admiring  inspection — great  em- 
eralds of  a  more  vivid  green  than  the  dark  tropical 
foliage,  and  rubies  and  all  various  treasures  which 
the  Indian  mines  afford,  till  the  place  shone  before 
our  eyes,  thicker 

"  With  jewels  than  the  sward  with  drops  of  dew, 
When  all  night  long  a  cloud  clings  to  the  hill, 
And  with  the  dawn  ascending  lets  the  day 
Strike  where  it  clung  ;  so  thickly  shone  the  gems." 

All  the  while  the  nobles  were  squatting  or  lying 
on  the  floor,  and  the  children  were  playing  in  a  sub- 
dued and -quiet  way  at  the  king's  feet.  Somehow 
the  beauty  of  these  little  Siamese  children  seemed  to 
me  very  remarkable.  As  they  grow  older,  they  grow 


114:  SI  AM 

lean,  and  wrinkled,  and  ugly.  But  while  they  are 
children  they  are  pretty  "  as  a  picture  " — as  some 
of  those  pictures,  for  example,  in  the  Italian  galleries. 
Going  quite  innocent  of  clothing,  they  are  very 
straight  and  plump  in  figure,  and  unhindered  in  their 
grace  of  motion.  And  they  used  to  bear  themselves 
with  a  simple  and  modest  dignity  that  was  very  win- 
ning. They  have  the  soft  and  lustrous  eyes,  the 
shining  teeth  (as  yet  unstained  by  betel-nut),  the 
pleasant  voices,  which  are  the  birthright  of  the  chil- 
dren of  the  tropics.  In  default  of  clothes,  they  are 
stained  all  over  with  some  pigment,  which  makes 
their  skin  a  lively  yellow,  and  furnishes  a  shade  of 
contrast  for  the  deeper  color  of  the  gold  which  hangs 
around  their  necks  and  arms.  I  used  to  compare 
them,  to  their  great  advantage,  with  the  Chinese 
children. 

There  is  not  in  Siam,  at  least  there  is  not  in  the 
same  degree,  that  obstinate  conceit  behind  "which, 
as  behind  a  barrier,  the  Chinese  hav.e  stood  for  cen- 
turies, resisting  stubbornly  the  entrance  of  all  light 
and  civilization  from  without.  I  do  not  know  what 
possible  power  could  extort  from  a  Chinese  official 
the  acknowledgment  which  this  king  freely  made, 
that  his  people  were  "half  civilized  and  half  bar- 
barous, being  very  ignorant  of  civilized  and  enlight- 
ened customs  and  usages."  Such  an  admission  from 
a  Chinaman  would  be  like  the  demolition  of  their 
great  northern  wall.  It  is  true  of  nations  as  it  is  of 
individuals,  that  pride  is  the  most  stubborn  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  all  real  progress.  And  national  hu- 
mility is  the  earnest  of  national  exaltation.  There- 


PHRABAT  SOMDETCH  115 

fore  it  is  that  the  condition  of  things  at  the  Siamese 
court  seems  to  me  so  full  of  promise. 

By  and  by  the  king  withdrew,  and  intimated  that 
he  would  presently  meet  us  again  at  an  entertain- 
ment in  another  part  of  the  palace.  His  disap- 
pearance was  the  signal  for  the  resurrection  of  the 
prostrate  noblemen,  who  started  up  all  around  us  in 
an  unexpected  way,  like  toads  after  a  rain.  Moving 
toward  the  new  apartment  where  our  "  entertain- 
ment "  was  prepared,  we  saw  the  spacious  court  to 
new  advantage.  For  the  night  had  come  while  we 
had  waited,  and  the  mellow  light  from  the  tropic 
stars  and  burning  constellations  flowed  down  upon 
us  through  the  fragrant  night  air.  Mingling  with 
this  white  starlight  was  the  ruddy  glow  that  came 
through  palace  windows  from  lamps  fed  by  fragrant 
oil  of  cocoa-nut,  and  from  the  moving  torches  of  our 
attendants.  And  as  we  walked  through  the  broad 
avenues,  dimly  visible  in  this  mixed  light,  some 
gilded  window  arch  or  overhanging  roof  with  gold- 
green  tiles,  or  the  varied  costume  of  the  moving 
group  of  which  we  formed  a  part,  would  stand  out 
from  the  shadowy  darkness  with  a  sudden  and  most 
picturesque  distinctness.  So  we  came  at  last  to  the 
apartment  where  the  king  had  promised  to  rejoin  us. 

Here  the  apparition  of  our  old  sky-blue  friend, 
the  beaver-hatted  Portuguese,  suggested  that  a  din- 
der  was  impending,  and,  if  we  might  judge  by  his 
uncommon  nervousness  of  manner,  it  must  be  a  din- 
ner of  unprecedented  style.  And  certainly  there 
was  a  feast,  sufficiently  sumptuous  and  very  elegant- 
ly served,  awaiting  our  arrival.  At  one  side  of  the 


116  SIAM 

room,  on  a  raised  platform,  was  a  separate  table  for 
the  king,  and  beside  it,  awaiting  Ins  arrival,  was  his 

throne, 

' '  From  which 

Down  dropped  in  many  a  floating  fold, 
Engarlanded  and  diapered 
With  inwrought  flowers,  a  cloth  of  gold." 

In  the  bright  light  of  many  lamps  the  room  was 
strangely  beautiful.  On  one  side,  doors  opened  into 
a  stately  temple,  out  of  which  presently  the  king 
came  forth.  And  as,  when  he  had  disappeared,  the 
nobles  seemed  to  come  out  from  the  ground  like 
toads,  so  now,  like  toads,  they  squatted,  and  the  sov- 
ereign of  the  squatters  took  his  seat  above  them. 

Presently  there  was  music.  A  band  of  native 
musicians  stationed  at  the  foot  of  the  king's  throne 
commenced  a  lively  performance  on  their  instru- 
ments. It  was  strange,  wild  music,  with  a  plaintive 
sweetness,  that  was  very  enchanting.  The  tones 
were  liquid  as  the  gurgling  of  a  mountain  brook, 
and  rose  and  fell  in  the  same  irregular  measure. 
And  when  to  the  first  band  of  instruments  there 
was  added  another  in  a  different  part  of  the  room, 
the  air  became  tremulous  with  sweet  vibrations,  and 
the  wild  strains  lingered  softly  about  the  gilded 
eaves  and  cornices  and  floated  upward  toward  the 
open  sky. 

It  seemed  that  the  fascination  of  the  scene  would 
be  complete  if  there  were  added  the  poetry  of  motion. 
And  so,  in  came  the  dancers,  a  dozen  young  girls, 
pretty  and  modest,  and  dressed  in  robes  of  which  I 
cannot  describe  the  profuse  and  costly  ornamentation. 


PIIRABAT  SOMDETCH  117 

The  gold  and  jewels  fairly  crusted  them,  and,  as  the 
dancers  moved,  the  light  flashed  from  the  countless 
gems  at  every  motion.  As  each  one  entered  the 
apartment  she  approached  the  king,  and,  reverent- 
ly kneeling,  slowly  lifted  her  joined  hands  as  if 
in  adoration.  All  the  movements  were  gracefully 
timed  to  the  sweet  barharic  music,  and  were  slow 
and  languid,  and  as  quiet  as  the  movements  in  a 
dream.  We  sat  and  watched  them  dreamily,  half 
bewildered  by  the  splendor  which  our  eyes  beheld, 
and  the  sweetness  which  our  ears  heard,  till  the  night 
was  well  advanced  and  it  wras  time  to  go.  It  was  a 
sudden  shock  to  all  our  Oriental  reveries,  when,  as 
we  rose  to  leave,  his  majesty  requested  that  we  would 
give  him  three  cheers.  It  was  the  least  we  could  do 
in  return  for  his  royal  hospitality,  and  accordingly 
the  captain  led  off  in  the  demonstration,  while  the 
rest  of  us  joined  in  with  all  the  heartiness  of  voice 
that  we  could  summon.  But  it  broke  the  charm. 
Those  occidental  cheers,  that  hoarse  Anglo-Saxon 
roar,  had  no  proper  place  among  these  soft  and  sen- 
suous splendors,  which  had  held  us  captive  all  the 
evening,  till  we  had  well-nigh  forgotten  the  every- 
day world  of  work  and  duty  to  which  we  belonged. 

It  is  when  we  remember  the  enervating  influence 
of  the  drowsy  tropics  upon  character,  that  we  learn 
fitly  to  honor  the  men  and  women  by  whom  the  in- 
auguration of  this  new  era  in  Siamese  history  has 
been  brought  about.  To  live  for  a  little  while  among 
these  sensuous  influences  without  any  very  serious  in- 
tellectual work  to  do,  or  any  very  grave  moral  re- 
sponsibility to  bear,  is  one  thing  ;  but  to  spend  a  life 


118  SI  AM 

among  them,  with  such  a  constant  strain  upon  the 
mind  and  heart  as  the  laying  of  Christian  founda- 
tions among  a  heathen  people  must  always  necessi- 
tate, is  quite  another  thing.  This  is  what  the  mis- 
sionaries in  Siam  have  to  do.  Their  battle  is  not 
with  the  prejudices  of  heathenism  only,  nor  with  the 
vices  and  ignorance  of  bad  men  only.  It  is  a  bat- 
tle with  nature  itself.  To  the  passing  traveller,  half 
intoxicated  with  the  beauty  of  the  country  and  the 
rich  splendor  of  that  oriental  world,  it  may  seem  a 
charming  thing  to  live  there,  and  no  uninviting  lot  to 
be  a  missionary  in  such  pleasant  places.  But  the  very 
attractiveness  of  the  field  to  one  who  sees  it  as  a  vis- 
itor, and  who  is  dazzled  by  its  splendors  as  he  looks 
upon  it  out  of  kings'  palaces,  is  what  makes  it  all  the 
harder  for  one  who  goes  with  hard,  self-sacrificing 
work  to  do.  The  fierce  sun  wilts  the  vigor  of  his 
mind  and  scorches  up  the  fresh  enthusiasm  of  his 
heart. 

"Droops  the   heavy-blossomed   flower,   hangs   the    heavy- 
fruited  tree." 

And  all  the  beautiful  earth,  and  all  the  drowsy  air, 
and  all  the  soft  blue  sky  invite  to  sloth  and  ease  and 
luxury. 

Therefore  I  give  the  greater  honor  to  the  earnest 
men  and  to  the  patient  women  who  are  laboring  and 
praying  for  the  coming  of  the  Christian  day  to  this 
benighted  people. 

His  majesty,  Phrabat  Somdetch  Phra  Paramendr 
Maha  Mongknt  closed  his  remarkable  career  on  Oc- 
tober 1,  1868,  under  circumstances  of  peculiar  inter- 


PUR  AS  AT  SOXDETCI1  119 

est.  Amid  all  the  cares  and  anxieties  of  government 
he  had  never  ceased  to  occupy  himself  with  matters 
of  literary  and  scientific  importance.  Questions  of 
scholarship  in  any  one  of  the  languages  of  which  he 
was  more  or  less  master  were  always  able  to  divert 
and  engage  his  attention.  And  the  approach  of  the 
great  solar  eclipse  in  August,  1868,  was  an  event  the 
coming  of  which  he  had  himself  determined  by  his 
own  reckoning,  and  for  which  he  waited  with  an  im- 
patience half  philosophic  and  half  childish.  A  spe- 
cial observatory  was  built  for  the  occasion,  and  an  ex- 
pedition of  extraordinary  magnitude  and  on  a  scale 
of  great  expenditure  and  pomp  was  equipped  by  the 
king's  command  to  accompany  him  to  the  post  of  ob- 
servation. A  great  retinue  both  of  natives  and  of 
foreigners,  including  a  French  scientific  commission, 
attended  his  majesty,  and  were  entertained  at  royal 
expense.  And  the  eclipse  was  satisfactorily  witnessed 
to  the  great  delight  of  the  king,  whose  scientific  en- 
thusiasm found  abundant  expression  when  his  calcu- 
lation was  proved  accurate. 

It  was,  however,  almost  his  last  expedition  of  any 
kind.  Even  before  setting  out  there  had  been  evi- 
dent signs  that  his  health  was  breaking.  And  up- 
on his  return  it  was  soon  apparent  that  excitement 
and  fatigue  and  the  malaria  of  the  jungle  had 
wrought  upon  him  with  fatal  results.  He  died 
calmly,  preserving  to  the  end  that  philosophic  com- 
posure to  which  his  training  in  the  Buddhist  priest- 
hood had  accustomed  him.  His  private  life  in  his 
own  palace  and  among  his  wives  and  children  has 
been  pictured  in  an  entertaining  way  by  Mrs.  Leon- 


120  SIAM 

owens,  the  English  lady  whose  services  he  employed 
as  governess  to  his  young  children.  He  had  appar- 
ently his  free  share  of  the  faults  and  vices  to  which 
his  savage  nature  and  his  position  as  an  Oriental 
despot,  with  almost  unlimited  wealth  and  power, 
gave  easy  opportunity.  It  is  therefore  all  the  more 
remarkable  that  he  should  have  exhibited  such  sa^ac- 

O 

ity  and  firmness  in  his  government,  and  such  schol- 
arly enthusiasm  in  his  devotion  to  literature  and 
science.  Pedantic  he  seems  to  us  often,  and  with 
more  or  less  arrogant  conceit  of  his  own  ability  and 
acquirements.  It  is  easy  to  laugh  at  the  queer  Eng- 
lish which  he  wrote  with  such  reckless  fluency  and 
spoke  with  such  confident  volubility.  But  it  is  im- 
possible to  deny  that  his  reign  was,  for  the  kingdom 
which  he  governed,  the  beginning  of  a  new  era,  and 
that  whatever  advance  in  civilization  the  country  is 
now  making,  or  shall  make,  will  be  largely  due  to  the 
courage  and  wisdom  and  willingness  to  learn  which 
he  enforced  by  precept  and  example.  He  died  in 
some  sense  a  martyr  to  science,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  adhered,  to  the  last,  tenaciously,  and  it  would 
seem  from  some  imaginary  obligation  of  honor,  to  the 
religious  philosophy  in  which  he  had  been  trained, 
and  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  defend- 
ers. His  character  and  his  history  are  full  of  the 
strangest  contrasts  between  the  heathenish  barbarism 
in  which  he  was  born  and  the  Christian  civilization 
toward  which,  more  or  less  consciously,  he  was  bring- 
ing the  people  whom  he  governed.  It  is  in  part  the 
power  of  such  contrasts  which  gives  to  his  reign  such 
extraordinary  and  picturesque  interest. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

AYUTHIA 

THE  former  capital  of  Siam,  which  in  its  day 
was  a  city  of  great  magnificence  and  fame,  has 
been  for  many  years  supplanted  by  Bangkok ;  and 
probably  a  sight  of  the  latter  city  as  it  now  is  gives 
to  the  traveller  the  best  impression  of  what  the  former 
used  to  be.  So  completely  does  the  interest  of  the 
kingdom  centre  at  Bangkok  that  few  travellers  go 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  walls  of  that  city  except  in 
ascending  or  descending  the  river  which  leads  to  it 
from  the  sea.  For  a  description  of  Ayuthia  in  its 
glory  we  are  obliged  to  turn  back  to  the  old  German 
traveller  who  visited  Siam  during  the  first  half  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  Sir  John  Bowring  has  con- 
nected this  ancient  narrative  with  that  of  a  recent  ob- 
server who  has  visited  the  ruins  of  the  once  famous 
city.  We  quote  from  Bowring's  narrative  : 

u  The  ancient  city  of  Ayuthia,  whose  pagodas  and 
palaces  were  the  object  of  so  much  laudation  from 
ancient  travellers,  and  which  was  called  the  Oriental 
Venice,  from  the  abundance  of  its  canals  and  the 
beauty  of  its  public  buildings,  is  now  almost  wholly 
in  ruins,  its  towers  and  temples  whelmed  in  the  dust 
and  covered  with  rank  vegetation.  The  native  name 
of  Ayuthia  was  Sijan  Thijan,  meaning  '  Terrestrial 
9 


122  SI  AM 

Paradise.'  The  Siamese  are  in  the  habit  of  giving 
very  ostentatious  names  to  their  cities,  which,  as  La 
Loubere  says :  '  do  signify  great  things.'  Pallegoix 
speaks  of  the  ambitious  titles  given  to  Siamese  towns, 
among  which  he  mentions  '  the  City  of  Angels,' 
*  the  City  of  Archangels,'  and  the  '  Celestial  Spec- 
tacle.' 

"  The  general  outlines  of  the.  old  city  so  closely 
resemble  those  of  Bangkok,  that  the  map  of  the  one 
might  easily  be  mistaken  for  the  representation  of 
the  other. 

"It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  introduce  the 
description  of  Aynthia  from  the  pen  of  Mandelsloe 
- — one  of  those  painstaking  travellers  whose  contri- 
butions to  geographical  science  have  been  collected 
in  the  ponderous  folios  of  Dr.  Harris  (vol.  i.,p.  781)." 
Mandelsloe  reports  that : 

"  The  city  of  Judda  is  built  upon  an  island  in  the 
river  Meinam.  It  is  the  ordinary  residence  of  the 
king  of  Siain,  having  several  very  fair  streets,  with 
spacious  channels  regularly  cut.  The  suburbs  are  on 
both  sides  of  the  river,  which,  as  well  as  the  city  it- 
self, are  adorned  with  many  temples  and  palaces  ;  of 
the  first  of  which  there  are  above  three  hundred 
within  the  city,  distinguished  by  their  gilt  steeples, 
or  rather  pyramids,  and  afford  a  glorious  prospect  at 
a  distance.  The  houses  are,  as  all  over  the  Indies, 
but  indifferently  built  and  covered  with  tiles.  The 
royal  palace  is  equal  to  a  large  city.  Ferdinando 
Mendez  Pinto  makes  the  number  of  inhabitants  of 
this  city  amount,  improbably,  to  four  hundred  thou- 
sand families.  It  is  looked  upon  as  impregnable,  by 


ATUTHIA  123 

reason  of  the  overflowing  of  the  river  at  six  months' 
end.  The  king  of  Siain,  who  takes  amongst  his 
other  titles  that  of  Paecan  Salsu,  i.e. — Sacred  Mem- 
ber of  God — lias  this  to  boast  of,  that,  next  to  the 
Mogul,  he  can  deduce  his  descent  from  more  kings 
than  any  other  in  the  Indies.  He  is  absolute,  his 
privy  councillors,  called  mandarins,  being  chosen  and 
deposed  barely  at  his  pleasure.  When  he  appears  in 
public  it  is  done  with  so  much  pomp  and  magnifi- 
cence as  is  scarce  to  be  imagined,  which  draws  such  a 
veneration  to  his  person  from  the  common  people, 
that,  even  in  the  streets  as  he  passes  by,  they  give 
him  godlike  titles  and  worship.  He  marries  no  more 
than  one  wife  at  a  time,  but  has  an  infinite  number 
of  concubines.  He  feeds  very  high  ;  but  his  drink 
is  water  only,  the  use  of  strong  liquors  being  severely 
prohibited  by  their  ecclesiastical  law,  to  persons  of 
quality  in  Siam.  As  the  thirds  of  all  the  estates  of 
the  kingdom  fall  to  his  exchequer,  so  his  riches  must 
be  very  great ;  but  what  makes  them  almost  immense 
is,  that  he  is  the  chief  merchant  in  the  kingdom, 
having  his  factors  in  all  places  of  trade,  to  sell  jice, 
copper,  lead,  saltpetre,  etc.,  to  foreigners.  Mendez 
Pinto  makes  his  yearly  revenue  rise  to  twelve  millions 
of  ducats,  the  greatest  part  of  which,  being  laid  up  in 
his  treasury,  must  needs  swell  to  an  infinity  in  pro- 
cess of  time."  Sir  John  Bowring  adds  : 

"  I  have  received  the  following  account  of  the  pres- 
ent condition  of  Ayuthia,  the  old  capital  of  Siam, 
from  a  gentleman  who  visited  it  in  December, 
1855  : 

"  '  Ayuthia  is  at  this  time  the  second  city  of  the 


124  SI  A  M 

kingdom.  Situated,  as  the  greater  part  is,  on  a  creek 
or  canal,  connecting  the  main  river  with  a  large 
branch  which  serves  as  the  high  road  to  Pakpriau, 
Korat,  and  southern  Laos,  travellers  are  apt  entirely 
to  overlook  it  when  visiting  the  ruins  of  the  various 
wats  or  temples  on  the  island  where  stood  the  ancient 
city. 

" '  The  present  number  of  inhabitants  cannot  be 
less  than  between  twenty  and  thirty  thousand,  among 
which  are  a  large  number  of  Chinese,  a  few  Birmese, 
and  some  natives  of  Laos.  They  are  principally  em- 
ployed in  shopkeeping,  agriculture,  or  fishing,  for 
there  are  no  manufactories  of  importance.  Floating 
houses  are  most  commonly  employed  as  dwellings, 
the  reason  for  which  is  that  the  Siamese  very  justly 
consider  them  more  healthy  than  houses  on  land. 

"  '  The  soil  is  wonderfully  fertile.  The  principal 
product  is  rice,  which,  although  of  excellent  quality, 
is  not  so  well  adapted  for  the  market  as  that  grown 
nearer  the  sea,  on  account  of  its  being  much  lighter 
and  smaller.  A  large  quantity  of  oil,  also  an  astrin- 
gent liquor  called  toddy,  and  sugar,  is  manufactured 
from  the  palm  (Elaeis),  extensive  groves  of  which  are 
to  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city.  I  was  shown 
some  European  turnips  which  had  sprung  up  and 
attained  a  very  large  size.  Indigenous  fruits  and 
vegetables  also  flourish  in  great  plenty.  The  charac- 
ter of  the  vegetation  is,  however,  different  from  that 
around  Bangkok.  The  cocoa  and  areca  palms  be- 
come rare,  and  give  place  to  the  bamboo. 

"  '  The  only  visible  remains  of  the  old  city  are  a 
large  number  of  wats,  in  different  stages  of  decay. 


AYUTHIA  125 

They  extend  over  an  area  of  several  miles  of  country, 
and  lie  hidden  in  the  trees  and  jungle  which  have 
sprung  up  around  them.  As  the  beauty  of  a  Siam- 
ese temple  consists  not  in  its  architecture,  but  in  the 
quantity  of  arabesque  work  with  which  the  brick  and 
stucco  walls  are  covered,  it  soon  yields  to  the  power 
of  time  and  weather,  and  becomes,  if  neglected,  an 
unsightly  heap  of  bricks  and  wood-work,  overgrown 
with  parasitical  plants.  It  is  thus  at  Ayuthia.  A 
vast  pile  of  bricks  and  earth,  with  here  and  there 
a  spire  still  rearing  itself  to  the  skies,  marks  the  spot 
where  once  stood  a  shrine  before  which  thousands 
were  wont  to  prostrate  themselves  in  superstitious 
adoration.  There  stand  also  the  formerly  revered 
images  of  Gaudama,  once  resplendent  with  gold  and 
jewels,  but  now  broken,  mutilated,  and  without  a 
shadow  of  their  previous  splendor.  There  is  one 
sacred  spire  of  immense  height  and  size  which  is 
still  kept  in  some  kind  of  repair,  and  which  is  some- 
times visited  by  the  king.  It  is  situated  about  four 
miles  from  the  town,  in  the  centre  of  a  plain  of 
paddy-fields.  Boats  and  elephants  are  the  only 
means  of  reaching  it,  as  there  is  no  road  whatever, 
except  such  as  the  creeks  and  swampy  paddy-fields 
afford.  It  bears  much  celebrity  among  the  Siamese, 
on  account  of  its  height,  but  can  boast  of  nothing 
attractive  to  foreigners  but  the  fine  view  which  is 
obtained  from  the  summit.  This  spire,  like  all 
others,  is  but  a  succession  of  steps  from  the  bottom 
to  the  top  ;  a  few  ill-made  images  affording  the  only 
relief  from  the  monotony  of  the  brickwork.  It  bears, 
too,  none  of  those  ornaments,  constructed  of  broken 


126  SIAM 

crockery,  with  which  the  spires  and  temples  of  Bang- 
kok are  so  plentifully  bedecked. 

"  '  This  is  all  that  repays  the  traveller  for  his  visit, 
— a  poor  remuneration  though,  were  it  the  curiosity 
of  an  antiquarian  that  led  him  to  the  place,  for  the 
ruins  have  not  yet  attained  a  sufficient  age  to  com- 
pensate for  their  uninteresting  appearance. 

" '  As  we  were  furnished  with  a  letter  from  the 
Phya  Kalahoin  to  the  governor,  instructing  him  to 
furnish  us  with  everything  requisite  for  our  con- 
venience, we  waited  on  that  official,  but  were  unfort- 
unate enough  to  find  that  he  had  gone  to  Bangkok. 
The  letter  was  thus  rendered  useless,  for  no  one 
dared  open  it  in  his  absence.  Happily,  however,  we 
were  referred  to  a  nobleman  who  had  been  sent  from 
Bangkok  to  superintend  the  catching  of  elephants, 
and  he,  without  demur,  gave  us  every  assistance  in 
his  power. 

"  '  After  visiting  the  ruins,  therefore,  we  inspected 
the  kraal  or  stockade,  in  which  the  elephants  are 
captured.  This  was  a  large  quadrangular  piece  of 
ground,  enclosed  by  a  wall  about  six  feet  in  thick- 
ness, having  an  entrance  on  one  side,  through  which 
the  elephants  are  made  to  enter  the  enclosure.  In- 
side the  wall  is  a  fence  of  strong  teak  stakes  driven 
into  the  ground  a  few  inches  apart.  In  the  centre  is 
a  small  house  erected  on  poles  and  strongly  sur- 
rounded with  stakes,  wherein  some  men  are  stationed 
for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  animals.  These 
abound  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  but  cannot 
exactly  be  called  wild,  as  the  majority  of  them  have, 
at  some  time  or  other,  been  subjected  to  servitude. 


ATUTHIA  127 

They  are  all  the  property  of  the  king,  and  it  is  crim- 
inal to  hurt  or  kill  one  of  them.  Once  a  year,  a 
large  number  is  collected  together  in  the  enclosure, 
and  as  many  as  are  wanted  of  those  possessing  the 
points  which  the  Siamese  consider  beautiful  are 
captured.  The  fine  points  in  an  elephant  are :  a 
color  approaching  to  white  or  red,  black  nails  on  the 
toes  (the  common  color  of  these  nails  is  black  and 
white),  and  intact  tails  (for,  owing  to  their  pugna- 
cious disposition,  it  is  rarely  that  an  elephant  is  caught 
which  has  not  had  its  tail  bitten  off).  On  this  oc- 
casion the  king  and  a  large  concourse  of  nobles 
assemble  together  to  witness  the  proceedings ;  they 
occupy  a  large  platform  on  one  side  of  the  enclosure. 
The  wild  elephants  are  then  driven  in  by  the  aid  of 
tame  males  of  a  very  large  size  and  great  strength, 
and  the  selection  takes  place.  If  an  animal  which  is 
wanted  escapes  from  the  kraal,  chase  is  immediately 
made  after  it  by  a  tame  elephant,  the  driver  of  which 
throws  a  lasso  to  catch  the  feet  of  the  fugitive. 
Having  effected  this,  the  animal  on  which  he  rides 
leans  itself  with  all  its  power  the  opposite  way,  and 
thus  brings  the  other  violently  to  the  ground.  It  is 
then  strongly  bound,  and  conducted  to  the  stables. 

"  '  ^Naturally  enough,  accidents  are  of  common  oc- 
currence, men  being  frequently  killed  by  the  in- 
furiated animals,  which  a're  sometimes  confined  two 
or  three  days  in  the  enclosure  without  food. 

" '  When  elephants  are  to  be  sent  to  Bangkok  a 
floating  house  has  to  be  constructed  for  the  purpose. 

" '  As  elephants  were  placed  at  our  disposal  we  en- 
joyed the  opportunity  of  judging  of  their  capabilities 


128  SIAM 

in  a  long  ride  through  places  inaccessible  to  a  lesser 
quadruped.  Their  step  is  slow  and  cautious,  and  the 
rider  is  subjected  to  a  measured  roll  from  side  to  side, 
which  at  first  is  somewhat  disagreeable.  In  travers- 
ing marshes  and  soft  ground  they  feel  their  way  with 
their  trunks.  They  are  excessively  timid  ;  horses  are 
a  great  terror  to  them,  and,  unless  they  are  well 
trained,  the  report  of  a  fowling-piece  scares  them 
terribly.' 

"  Above  Ayuthia  the  navigation  of  the  Meinam  is 
often  interrupted  by  sand-banks,  but  the  borders  are 
still  occupied  by  numerous  and  populous  villages ; 
their  number  diminishes  until  the  marks  of  human 
presence  gradually  disappear — the  river  is  crowded 
with  crocodiles,  the  trees  are  filled  with  monkeys,  and 
the  noise  of  the  elephants  is  heard  in  the  impervious 
woods.  After  many  days'  passage  up  the  river,  one  of 
the  oldest  capitals  of  Siam,  built  fifteen  hundred  years 
ago,  is  approached.  Its  present  name  is  Phit  Salok, 
and  it  contains  about  five  thousand  inhabitants,  whose 
principal  occupation  is  cutting  teak-wood,  to  be  floated 
down  the  stream  to  Bangkok. 

"  The  account  which  Bishop  Pallegoix  gives  of  the 
interior  of  the  country  above  Ayuthia  is  not  very  flat- 
tering. He  visited  it  in  the  rainy  season,  and  says  it 
appeared  little  better  than  a  desert — a  few  huts  by  the 
side  of  the  stream — neither  towns,  nor  soldiers,  nor 
custom-houses.  Rice  was  found  cheap  and  abundant, 
everything  else  wanting.  Some  of  the  Bishop's  adven- 
tures are  characteristic.  In  one  place,  where  he  heard 
pleasant  music,  he  found  a  mandarin  surrounded  by 
his  dozen  wives,  who  were  playing  a  family  concert. 


A7UTHIA  129 

The  mandarin  took  the  opportunity  to  seek  informa- 
tion about  Christianity,  and  listened  patiently  and 
pleased  enough,  until  the  missionary  told  him  one 
wife  must  satisfy  him  if  he  embraced  the  Catholic 
faith,  which  closed  the  controversy,  as  the  Siamese 
said  that  was  an  impossible  condition.  In  some 
places  the  many-colored  pagodas  towered  above  the 
trees,  and  they  generally  possessed  a  gilded  Buddha 
twenty  feet  in  height.  The  Bishop  observes  that  the 
influence  of  the  Buddhist  priests  is  everywhere  para- 
mount among  the  Siamese,  but  that  they  have  little 
hold  upon  the  Chinese,  Malays,  or  Laos  people.  In  one 
of  the  villages  they  offered  a  wife  to  one  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, but  finding  the  present  unacceptable,  they 
replaced  the  lady  by  two  youths,  who  continued  in  his 
service,  and  he  speaks  well  of  their  fidelity." 


CHAPTER  X. 


O!NTS  of  the  most  famous  of  the  holy  places  of 
Siam,  and  one  which  it  is  now  comparatively 
easy  to  visit,  is  the  shrine  of  "  the  footstep  of  Bud- 
dha." This  footstep  was  discovered  early  in  the 
seventeenth  century  by  the  king  who  is  called  the 
founder  of  the  second  dynasty.  As  he  had  been,  be- 
fore his  accession  to  the  throne,  a  member  of  the 
priesthood,  and  "  very  popular  as  a  learned  and  re- 
ligious teacher,"  it  is  easy  to  see  what  aptitude  he 
had  for  such  a  discovery.  It  is  a  favorite  resort  for 
pilgrims. 

"  Bishop  Pallegoix,"  says  Bowring,  "  speaks  of  a 
large  assemblage  of  gaily-ornamented  barges,  filled 
with  multitudes  of  people  in  holiday  dresses,  whom, 
he  met  above  Ayuthia,  going  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the 
'  foot  of  Buddha.'  The  women  and  girls  wore  scarfs 
of  silk,  and  bracelets  of  gold  and  silver,  and  filled 
the  air  with  their  songs,  to  which  troops  of  priests 
and  young  men  responded  in  noisy  music.  The 
place  of  debarkation  is  Tha  Rua,  which  is  on  the 
road  to  Phrabat,  where  the  footprint  of  the  god  is 
found.  More  than  five  hundred  barges  were  there, 
all  illuminated :  a  drama  was  performed  on  the 


PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI  131 

shore ;  there  was  a  great  display  of  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music,  tea-drinking,  playing  at  cards  and 
dice,  and  the  merry  festivities  lasted  through  the 
whole  night. 

"  Early  the  following  day  the  cortege  departed  by 
the  river.  It  consisted  of  princes,  nobles,  rich  men, 
ladies,  girls,  priests,  all  handsomely  clad.  They 
landed,  and  many  proceeded  on  foot,  while  the  more 
distinguished  mounted  on  elephants  to  move  toward 
the  sacred  mountain.  In  such  localities  the  spirit  of 
fanaticism  is  usually  intemperate  and  persecuting ; 
and  the  bishop  says  the  governor  received  him  an- 
grily, and  accused  him  of  'intending  to  debauch  his 
people  by  making  them  Christians.'  But  he  was 
softened  by  presents  and  explanations,  and  ultimate- 
ly gave  the  bishop  a  passport,  recommending  him  to 
'  all  the  authorities  and  chiefs  of  villages  under  his 
command,  as  a  Christian  priest  (farang),  and  as  his 
friend,  and  ordering  that  he  should  be  kindly  treated, 
protected,  and  furnished  with  all  the  provisions  he 
might  require.' 

"  Of  his  visit  to  the  sacred  mountain,  so  much  the 
resort  of  Buddhist  pilgrims,  Pallegoix  gives  this  ac- 
count : 

"  '  I  engaged  a  guide,  mounted  an  elephant,  and 
took  the  route  of  Phrabat,  followed  by  my  people. 
I  was  surprised  to  find  a  wide  and  excellent  road, 
paved  with  bricks,  and  opened  in  a  straight  line 
across  the  forests.  On  both  sides  of  the  road,  at  a 
league's  distance,  were  halls  or  stations,  with  wells 
dug  for  the  use  of  the  pilgrims.  Soon  the  road  be- 
came crooked,  and  we  stopped  to  bathe  in  a  large 


132  SI  AM 

pond.  At  four  o'clock  we  readied  the  magnificent 
monastery  of  Phrabat,  built  on  the  declivity,  but 
nearly  at  the  foot  of  a  tall  mountain,  formed  by 
fantastic  rocks  of  a  bluish  color.  The  monastery 
has  several  walls  surrounding  it ;  and  having  entered 
the  second  enclosure  we  found  the  abbe-prince,  seat- 
ed on  a  raised  floor,  and  directing  the  labors  of  a 
body  of  workmen.  His  attendants  called  on  us  to 
prostrate  ourselves,  but  we  did  not  obey  them.  "  Si- 
lence ! "  he  said ;  "  you  know  riot  that  the  fa- 
rang  honor  their  grandees  by  standing  erect."  I  ap- 
proached, and  presented  him  with  a  bottle  of  salvo- 
latile,  which  he  smelt  with  delight.  I  requested  he 
would  appoint  some  one  to  conduct  us  to  see  the 
vestige  of  Buddha ;  and  he  called  his  principal  as- 
sistant (the  balaf))  and  directed  him  to  accompany 
us.  The  ~balat  took  us  round  a  great  court  sur- 
rounded witli  handsome  edifices ;  showed  us  two 
large  temples ;  and  we  reached  a  broad  marble  stair- 
case with  balustrades  of  gilded  copper,  and  made  the 
round  of  the  terrace  which  is  the  base  of  the  monu- 
ment. All  the  exterior  of  this  splendid  edifice  is 
gilt ;  its  pavement  is  square,  but  it  takes  the  form  of 
a  dome,  and  is  terminated  in  a  pyramid  a  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  high.  The  gates  and  windows, 
which  are  double,  are  exquisitely  wrought.  The 
outer  gates  are  inlaid  with  handsome  devices  in 
mother-of-pearl,  and  the  inner  gates  are  adorned 
with  gilt  pictures  representing  the  events  in  the  his- 
tory of  Buddha. 

"  '  The  interior  is  yet  more  brilliant ;  the  pavement 
is  covered  with  silver  mats.     At  the  end,  on  a  throne 


PH RABAT  AND  PATAWI  133 

ornamented  with  precious  stones,  is  a  statue  of  Buddha 
in  massive  silver,  of  the  height  of  a  man  ;  in  the 
middle  is  a  silver  grating,  which  surrounds  the  vestige, 
whose  length  is  about  eighteen  inches.  It  is  not  dis- 
tinctly visible,  being  covered  with  rings,  ear  orna- 
ments, bracelets,  and  gold  necklaces,  the  offerings  of 
devotees  when  they  come  to  worship.  The  history 
of  the  relic  is  this :  In  the  year  1602,  notice  was 
sent  to  the  king,  at  Ayuthia,  that  a  discovery  had 
been  made  at  the  foot  of  a  mountain,  of  what  ap- 
peared to  be  a  footmark  of  Buddha.  The  king  sent 
his  learned  men,  and  the  most  intelligent  priests,  to 
report  if  the  lineaments  of  the  imprint  resembled  the 
description  of  the  foot  of  Buddha,  as  given  in  the 
sacred  Pali  writings.  The  examination  having  taken 
place,  and  the  report  being  in  the  affirmative,  the 
king  caused  the  monastery  of  Phrabat  to  be  built, 
which  has  been  enlarged  and  enriched  by  his  suc- 
cessors. 

" 'After  visiting  the  monument  the  balat  escorted 
us  to  a  deep  well,  cut  out  of  the  solid  stone;  the 
water  is  good,  and  sufficient  to  provide  for  crowds 
of  pilgrims.  The  abbe-prince  is  the  sovereign  lord  of 
the  mountain  and  its  environs  within  a  circuit  of 
eight  leagues  ;  he  has  from  four  to  five  thousand  men 
under  his  orders,  to  be  employed  as  he  directs  in  the 
service  of  the  monastery.  On  the  day  of  my  visit 
a  magnificent  palanquin,  such  as  is  used  by  great 
princes,  was  brought  to  him  as  a  present  from  the 
king.  He  had  the  civility  to  entertain  us  as  well  as 
he  could.  I  remarked  that  the  kitchen  was  under  the 
care  of  a  score  of  young  girls,  and  they  gave  the  name 


134  SI  AM 

of  pages  to  the  youths  who  attended  us.     In  no  other 
monastery  is  this  usage  to  be  found. 

"  '  His  highness  caused  us  to  be  lodged  in  a  hand- 
some wooden  house,  and  gave  me  two  guards  of 
honor  to  serve  and  watch  over  me,  forbidding  my  go- 
ing out  at  night  on  account  of  tigers.  The  following 
morning  I  took  leave  of  the  good  abbe-prince, 
mounted  my  elephant,  and  taking  another  road,  we 
skirted  the  foot  of  the  mountain  till  we  reached  a 
spring  of  spouting  waters.  We  found  there  a  curious 
plant,  whose  leaves  were  altogether  like  the  shape 
and  the  colors  of  butterflies.  We  took  a  simple 
breakfast  in  the  first  house  we  met  with ;  and  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  reached  our  boat? 
and  after  a  comfortable  night's  rest  we  left  Tha-Hua 
to  return  to  our  church  at  Ayuthia.' ' 

M.  Monhot  thus  describes  his  journey  from  Ayu- 
thia, made  in  the  winter  of  1858  : 

"  At  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  my  host  was 
waiting  for  me  at  the  door,  with  elephants  mount- 
ed by  their  drivers,  and  other  attendants  necessary 
for  our  expedition.  At  the  same  hour  in  the  evening 
we  reached  our  destination,  and  before  many  minutes 
had  elapsed  all  the  inhabitants  were  informed  of  our 
arrival ;  priests  and  mountaineers  were  all  full  of 
curiosity  to  look  at  the  stranger.  Among  the  prin- 
cipal people  of  the  place  I  distributed  some  little 
presents,  with  which  they  were  delighted  ;  but  my 
fire-arms  and  other  weapons  wrere  especially  the  sub- 
jects of  admiration.  I  paid  a  visit  to  the  prince  of 
the  mountain,  who  was  detained  at  home  by  illness. 
He  ordered  breakfast  for  me;  and,  expressing  his 


PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI  135 

regret  at  not  being  able  to  accompany  me,  sent  four 
men  to  serve  as  guides  and  assistants.  As  a  return 
for  his  kindness  and  urbanity,  I  presented  him  with 
a  small  pistol,  which  he  received  with  extreme  grati- 
fication. 

"  We  proceeded  afterward  to  the  western  side  of 
the  mountain,  where  is  the  famous  temple  contain- 
ing the  footprint  of  Samona-Kodom,  the  Buddha  of 
Indo-China.  I  was  filled  with  astonishment  and  ad- 
miration on  arriving  at  this  point,  and  feel  utterly 
incapable  of  describing  the  spectacle  which  met  my 
view.  What  convulsion  of  Nature,  what  force  could 
have  upheaved  those  immense  rocks,  piled  one  upon 
another  in  such  fantastic  forms  ?  Beholding  such  a 
chaos,  I  could  well  understand  how  the  imagination 
of  this  simple  people,  who  are  ignorant  of  the  true 
God,  should  have  here  discovered  signs  of  the  mar- 
vellous and  traces  of  their  false  divinities.  It  was 
as  if  a  second  and  recent  deluge  had  just  abated ; 
this  sight  alone  was  enough  to  recompense  me  for  all 
my  fatigues. 

"  On  the  mountain  summit,  in  the  crevices  of  the 
rocks,  in  the  valleys,  in  the  caverns,  all  around,  could 
be  seen  the  footprints  of  animals,  those  of  elephants 
and  tigers  being  most  strongly  marked  ;  but  I  am 
convinced  that  many  of  them  were  formed  by  ante- 
diluvian and  unknown  animals.  All  these  creatures, 
according  to  the  Siamese,  formed  the  cortege  of 
Buddha  in  his  passage  over  the  mountain. 

"  As  for  the  temple  itself,  there  is  nothing  remark- 
able about  it ;  it  is  like  most  of  the  pagodas  in  Siam 
— on  the  one  hand  unfinished  and  on  the  other  in  a 


136  SIAM 

state  of  dilapidation ;  and  it  is  built  of  brick,  although 
both  stone  and  marble  abound  at  Phrabat.  The  ap- 
proach to  it  is  by  a  flight  of  large  steps,  and  the  walls 
are  covered  with  little  pieces  of  colored  glass,  form- 
ing arabesques  in  great  variety,  which  glitter  in  the 
sun  with  striking  effect.  The  panels  and  cornices 
are  gilt ;  but  what  chiefly  attracts  attention  by  the 
exquisite  workmanship  are  the  massive  ebony  doors, 
inlaid  with  mother-  of  -pearl  of  different  colors,  and 
arranged  in  beautiful  designs.  The  interior  of  the 
temple  does  not  correspond  with  the  outside;  the 
floor  is  covered  with  silver  matting,  and  the  walls 
bear  traces  of  gilding,  but  they  are  blackened  by 
time  and  smoke.  A  catafalque  rises  in  the  centre, 
surrounded  with  strips  of  gilded  serge,  and  there  is 
to  be  seen  the  famous  footprint  of  Buddha.  To  this 
sacred  spot  the  pilgrims  bring  their  offerings,  cut 
paper,  cups,  dolls,  and  an  immense  number  of  toys, 
many  of  them  being  wrought  in  gold  and  silver. 

"  After  staying  a  week  on  the  mountain,  and  add- 
ing many  pretty  and  interesting  objects  to  my  col- 
lection, our  party  returned  to  Arajik,  the  prince  of 
Phrabat  insisting  on  sending  another  guide  with  me, 
although  my  friend,  the  mandarin,  with  his  attend- 
ants and  elephants,  had  kindly  remained  to  escort 
me  back  to  his  village.  There  I  again  partook  of 
his  hospitality,  and,  taking  leave  of  him  the  day  fol- 
lowing, I  resumed  my  voyage  up  the  river.  Before 
night  I  arrived  at  Saraburi,  the  chief  town  of  the 
province  of  Pakpriau  and  the  residence  of  the  gover- 
nor. 

"  Saraburi  is  a  place  of  some  extent,  the  population 


PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI  137 

consisting  chiefly  of  Siamese,  Chinese,  and  Laotian 
agriculturists ;  and  consists,  like  all  towns  and  villages 
in  Siam,  of  houses  constructed  of  bamboo.  They  peep 
out,  half  hidden,  among  the  foliage  along  the  banks  of 
the  river ;  beyond  are  rice  plantations,  and,  further  in 
the  background,  extensive  forests,  inhabited  solely  by 
wild  animals. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  26th  we  passed  Pakprian, 
near  which  the  cataracts  begin.  The  waters  were  still 
high,  and  we  had  much  trouble  to  fight  against  the 
current.  A  little  to  the  north  of  this  town  I  met  with 
a  poor  family  of  Laotian  Christians,  of  whom  the  good 
Father  Larmandy  had  spoken  to  me.  We  moored  our 
boat  near  their  house,  hoping  that  it  would  remain  in 
safety  while  I  explored  the  mountains  in  the  neigh- 
borhood and  visited  Patawi,  which  is  the  resort  of 
the  Laotian  pilgrims,  as  Phrabat  is  of  the  Siamese. 

"  All  the  country  from  the  banks  of  the  river  to 
the  hills,  a  distance  of  about  eight  or  nine  miles,  and 
the  whole  surface  of  this  mountain-range,  is  covered 
with  brown  iron-ore  and  aerolites;  where  they  occur 
in  the  greatest  abundance  vegetation  is  scanty  and 
consists  principally  of  bamboo,  but  it  is  rich  and 
varied  in  those  places  where  the  detritus  has  formed 
a  thicker  surface  of  soil.  The  dense  forests  furnish 
gum  and  oil,  which  would  be  valuable  for  commerce 
if  the  indolent  natives  could  be  prevailed  on  to  collect 
them.  They  are,  however,  infested  with  leopards, 
tigers,  and  tiger-cats.  Two  dogs  and  a  pig  were  car- 
ried off  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  hut  of  the 
Christian  guardians  of  our  boat  during  our  stay  at 
Pakprian ;  but  the  following  day  I  had  the  pleasure 
10 


138  8IAM 

of  making  the  offending  leopard  pay  for  the  robbery 
with  his  life,  and  his  skin  served  me  for  a  mat. 

"  Where  the  soil  is  damp  and  sandy  I  found  nu- 
merous traces  of  these  animals,  but  those  of  the  royal 
tiger  are  more  uncommon.  During  the  night  the  in- 
habitants dare  not  venture  out  of  doors  ;  but  in  the 
day-time  the  creatures,  satisfied  with  the  fruits  of  their 
predatory  rambles,  skulk  into  their  dens  in  the  re- 
cesses of  the  woods.  One  day  I  went  to  explore  the 
eastern  part  of  the  chain  of  Pakpriau,  and,  becoming 
excited  in  the  chase  of  a  wild  boar,  we  soon  lost  our- 
selves in  the  forest.  The  animal  made  his  way  through 
the  brushwood  much  more  easily  than  we  could,  en- 
cumbered as  we  were  with  guns,  hatchets,  and  boxes, 
and  we  ere  long  missed  the  scent.  By  the  terrified 
cries  of  the  monkeys  we  knew  we  could  not  be  far 
from  some  tiger  or  leopard,  doubtless,  like  ourselves, 
in  search  of  prey ;  and  as  night  was  drawing  in,  it 
became  necessary  to  retrace  our  steps  homeward  for 
fear  of  some  disagreeable  adventure.  With  all  our 
efforts,  however,  we  could  not  find  the  path.  We  were 
far  from  the  border  of  the  forest,  and  were  forced  to 
take  up  our  abode  in  a  tree,  among  the  branches  of 
which  we  made  a  sort  of  hammock.  On  the  following 
day  we  regained  the  river. 

"  I  endeavored  fruitlessly  to  obtain  oxen  or  ele- 
phants to  carry  our  baggage  with  a  view  of  exploring 
the  country,  but  all  beasts  of  burden  were  in  use  for 
the  rice-harvest.  I  therefore  left  my  boat  and  its 
contents  in  charge  of  the  Laotian  family,  and  we  set 
off,  like  pilgrims,  on  foot  for  Patawi,  on  a  fine  morn- 
ing with  a  somewhat  cloudy  sky,  which  recalled  to 


PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI  139 

me  the  pleasant  autumn  days  of  my  own  country. 
My  only  companions  were  Kiie  and  my  young  Lao- 
tian guide.  We  followed  for  three  hours,  through 
forests  infested  with  wild  beasts,  the  road  to  Korat, 
and  at  last  reached  Patawi.  As  at  Phrabat,  there  is 
a  bell,  both  at  the  foot  of  the  mount  and  at  the  en- 
trance of  a  long  and  wide  avenue  leading  to  the  pa- 
goda, which  the  pilgrims  ring  on  arriving,  to  inform 
the  good  genii  of  their  presence  and  bespeak  a  favor- 
able hearing  of  their  prayers.  The  mount  is  iso- 
lated, and  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in 
height ;  its  formation  is  similar  to  that  of  Phrabat, 
but  although  its  appearance  is  equally  grand  it  pre- 
sents distinct  points  of  variation.  Here  are  not  to  be 
seen  those  masses  of  rock,  piled  one  upon  another,  as 
if  hurled  by  the  giants  in  a  combat  like  that  fabled 
of  old.  Patawi  seems  to  be  composed  of  one  enor- 
mous rock,  which  rises  almost  perpendicularly  like  a 
wall,  excepting  the  centre  portion,  which  toward  the 
south  hangs  over  like  a  roof,  projecting  eighteen  or 
twenty  feet.  At  the  first  glance  might  be  recognized 
the  action  of  water  upon  a  soil  originally  clay. 

"  There  are  many  footprints  similar  to  those  of 
Phrabat,  and  in  several  places  are  to  be  seen  entire 
trunks  of  trees  in  a  state  of  petrifaction  lying  close  to 
growing  individuals  of  the  same  species.  They  have 
all  the  appearance  of  having  been  just  felled,  and  it 
is  only  on  testing  their  hardness  with  a  hammer  that 
one  feels  sure  of  not  being  mistaken.  An  ascent  of 
several  large  stone  steps  leads,  on  the  left  hand,  to 
the  pagoda,  and  on  the  right  to  the  residence  of  the 
talapoins,  or  priests,  who  are  three  in  number,  a  su- 


UO  SIAM 

* 

perior  and  two  assistants,  appointed  to  watch  and 
pay  reverence  to  the  precious  '  rays '  of  Somanako- 
doin.  Were  the  authors  who  have  written  about 
Buddhism  ignorant  of  the  signification  of  the  word 
1  ray '  employed  by  the  Buddhists  ?  Now,  in  the 
Siamese  language  the  same  word  which  means  '  ray ' 
signifies  also  shadow,  and  it  is  through  respect  for 
their  deity  that  the  first  meaning  is  applied. 

"  The  priests  were  much  surprised  to  see  a  '  farang' 
(foreigner)  in  their  pagoda,  but  some  trifling  gifts 
soon  established  me  in  their  good  graces.  The  supe- 
rior was  particularly  charmed  with  a  magnet  which 
I  gave  him,  and  amused  himself  with  it  for  a  long 
time,  uttering  cries  of  delighted  admiration  as  he  saw 
it  attract  and  pick  up  all  the  little  pieces  of  metal 
which  he  placed  near  it. 

"  I  went  to  the  extreme  north  of  the  mount,  where 
some  generous  being  has  kindly  had  constructed,  for 
the  shelter  of  travellers,  a  hall,  such  as  is  found  in 
many  places  near  pagodas.  The  view  there  is  inde- 
scribably splendid,  and  I  cannot  pretend  to  do  justice 
either  with  pen  or  pencil  to  the  grand  scenes  which 
here  and  elsewhere  were  displayed  before  my  eyes. 
I  can  but  seize  the  general  effect  and  some  of  the  de- 
tails; all  I  can  promise  to  do  is  to  introduce  nothing 
which  I  have  not  seen.  Hitherto  all  the  views  I  had 
seen  in  Siam  had  been  limited  in  extent,  but  here 
the  beauty  of  the  country  is  exhibited  in  all  its  splen- 
dor. Beneath  my  feet  was  a  rich  and  velvety  carpet 
of  brilliant  and  varied  colors;  an  immense  tract  of 
forest,  amid  which  the  fields  of  rice  and  the  un- 
wooded  spots  appeared  like  little  streaks  of  green  ; 


a 

M 

0-   -9 

->•<    ~ 


PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI  141 

beyond,  the  ground,  rising  gradually,  swells  into  hills 
of  different  elevations  ;  farther  still  to  the  north  and 
east,  in  the  form  of  a  semicircle,  is  the  mountain- 
chain  of  Phrabat  and  that  of  the  kingdom  of  Muang- 
Lom  ;  and  in  the  extreme  distance  those  of  Korat, 
fully  sixty  miles  distant.  All  these  join  one  another, 
and  are,  in  fact,  but  a  single  range.  But  how  describe 
the  varieties  of  form  among  all  these  peaks  !  In  one 
place  they  seem  to  melt  into  the  vapory  rose-tints  of 
the  horizon,  while  near  at  hand  the  peculiar  structure 
and  color  of  the  rocks  bring  out  more  strongly  the 
richness  of  the  vegetation  ;  there,  again,  are  deep 
shadows  vying  with  the  deep  blue  of  the  heaven 
above;  everywhere  those  brilliant  sunny  lights,  those 
delicate  hues,  those  warm  tones,  which  make  the  tout 
ensemble  perfectly  enchanting.  The  spectacle  is  one 
which  the  eye  of  a  painter  can  seize  and  revel  in,  but 
which  his  brush,  however  skilful,  can  transfer  most 
imperfectly  to  his  canvas. 

"At  the  sight  of  this  unexpected  panorama  a  cry 
of  admiration  burst  simultaneously  from  all  mouths. 
Even  rny  poor  companions,  generally  insensible  to  the 
beauties  of  nature,  experienced  a  moment  of  ecstasy 
at  the  sublimity  of  the  scene.  '  Oh  !  di,  dl  !  '  (beauti- 
ful) cried  my  young  Laotian  guide  ;  and  when  I  asked 
Kiie  what  he  thought  of  it,  '  Oh !  master,'  he  replied, 
in  his  mixed  jargon  of  Latin,  English,  and  Siamese, 
'  the  Siamese  see  Buddha  on  a  stone,  and  do  not  see 
God  in  these  grand  things.  1  am  pleased  to  have 
been  to  Patawi.' 

"  On  the  opposite  side,  viz.,  the  south,  the  picture 
is  different.  Here  is  a  vast  plain,  which  extends 


142  SIAM 

from  the  base  of  Patawi  and  the  other  mountains 
beyond  Ayuthia,  whose  high  towers  are  visible  in 
the  distance,  120  miles  off.  At  the  first  glance  one 
distinguishes  what  was  formerly  the  bed  of  the  sea, 
this  great  plain  having  taken  the  place  of  an  ancient 
gulf :  proof  of  which  is  afforded  by  numerous  marine 
shells,  many  of  which  I  collected  in  a  perfect  state  of 
preservation,  while  the  rocks,  with  their  footprints 
and  fossil  shells,  are  indicative  of  some  great  change 
at  a  still  earlier  period. 

"  Every  evening  some  of  the  good  Laotian  moun- 
taineers came  to  see  the  '  farang.'  These  Laotians  dif- 
fer slightly  from  the  Siamese  :  they  are  more  slender, 
have  the  cheek-bones  more  prominent,  and  have  also 
darker  complexions.  They  wear  their  hair  long, 
while  the  Siamese  shave  half  of  the  head,  leaving  the 
hair  to  grow  only  on  the  top.  They  deserve  praise 
for  their  intrepidity  as  hunters,  if  they  have  not  that 
of  warriors.  Armed  with  a  cutlass  or  bow,  with 
which  latter  weapon  they  adroitly  launch,  to  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  feet,  balls  of  clay  hardened  in 
the  sun,  they  wander  about  their  vast  forests,  undis- 
mayed by  the  jaguars  and  tigers  infesting  them. 
The  chase  is  their  principal  amusement,  and,  when 
they  can  procure  a  gun  and  a  little  Chinese  powder, 
they  track  the  wild  boar,  or,  lying  in  wait  for  the 
tiger  or  the  deer,  perch  themselves  on  a  tree  or  in  a 
little  hut  raised  on  bamboo  stakes. 

"  Their  poverty  borders  on  misery,  but  it  mainly 
results  from  excessive  indolence,  for  they  will  culti- 
vate just  sufficient  rice  for  their  support ;  this  done, 
they  pass  the  rest  of  their  time  in  sleep,  lounging 


PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI  143 

about  the  woods,  or  making  excursions  from  one  vil- 
lage to  another,  paying  visits  to  their  friends  on  the 
way. 

"  At  Patawi  I  heard  much  of  Korat,  which  is  the 
capital  of  the  province  of  the  same  name,  situated 
iive  days'  journey  northeast  of  Pakpriau — that  is 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles — and  I  deter- 
mined, if  possible,  to  visit  it  by  and  by.  It  appears 
to  be  a  rich  country,  producing  especially  silk  of 
gt>od  quality.  Caoutchouc-trees  abound,  but  are  neg- 
lected by  the  inhabitants,  who  are  probably  ignorant 
of  their  value.  I  brought  back  a  magnificent  specimen 
of  the  gum,  which  was  much  admired  by  the  English 
merchants  at  Bangkok.  Living,  according  to  report, 
is  fabulously  cheap  :  six  fowls  may  be  purchased  for 
ifttang  (37  centimes),  100  eggs  for  the  same  sum, 
and  all  other  things  in  proportion.  But  to  get  there 
one  has  to  cross  the  famous  forest  of  'the  King  of 
the  Fire,'  which  is  visible  from  the  top  of  Patawi, 
and  it  is  only  in  the  dry  season  that  it  is  safe  to  at- 
tempt this  ;  during  the  rains  both  the  water  and  the 
atmosphere  are  fatally  pestilential.  The  superstitious 
Siamese  do  not  dare  to  use  fire-arms  there,  from  fear 
of  attracting  evil  spirits  who  would  kill  them. 

"  During  all  the  time  I  spent  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain  the  chief  priest  was  unremitting  in  his  at- 
tentions to  me.  He  had  my  luggage  carried  into  his 
own  room,  gave  me  up  his  mats  to  add  to  mine,  and 
in  other  ways  practised  self-denial  to  make  me  as 
comfortable  as  was  in  his  power.  The  priests  com- 
plain much  of  the  cold  in  the  rainy  season,  and  of  the 
torrents  which  then  rush  from  the  summit  of  the 


144  SIAM 

mountain  ;  they  are  also  greatly  disturbed  by  the 
tigers,  which,  driven  from  the  plains  by  the  inunda- 
tions, take  refuge  on  the  high  ground,  and  cany 
away  their  dogs  and  fowls  out  of  the  very  houses. 
But  their  visits  are  not  confined  to  that  period  of  the 
year.  About  ten  o'clock  on  the  second  night  of  my 
stay  the  dogs  suddenly  began  to  utter  plaintive 
howls.  '  A  tiger !  a  tiger  ! '  cried  my  Laotian,  who 
was  lying  near  me.  I  started  up,  seized  my  gun,  and 
half  opened  the  door;  but  the  profound  darkness 
made  it  impossible  to  see  anything,  or  to  go  out 
without  uselessly  exposing  myself.  I  therefore  con- 
tented myself  with  firing  off  my  gun  to  frighten  the 
creature.  The  next  morning  we  found  one  of  our 
dogs  gone. 

"  We  scoured  the  neighborhood  for  about  a  week, 
and  then  set  off  once  more  by  water  for  Bangkok,  as 
I  wished  to  put  my  collections  in  order  and  send 
them  off. 

"  The  places  which  two  months  previously  had  been 
deep  in  water  were  now  dry,  and  everywhere  around 
their  dwellings  the  people  were  digging  their  gardens 
and  beginning  to  plant  vegetables.  The  horrible  mos- 
quitoes had  reappeared  in  greater  swarms  than  ever, 
and  I  pitied  my  poor  servants,  who,  after  rowing  all 
day,  could  obtain  no  rest  at  night. 

"  During  the  day,  especially  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Pakpriau,  the  heat  was  intense,  the  thermometer 
being  ordinarily  at  90°  Fahrenheit  (28°  Reaumur)  in 
the  shade,  and  140°  Fahrenheit  (49°  Reaumur)  in  the 
sun.  Luckily,  we  had  no  longer  to  contend  with  the 
current,  and  our  boat,  though  heavily  laden,  proceeded 


PHRABAT  AND  PATAWI  145 

rapidly.  We  were  about  three  hours'  sail  from  Bang- 
kok, when  I  perceived  a  couple  of  European  boats,  and 
in  a  room  built  for  travellers  near  a  pagoda  I  recog- 
nized three  English  captains  of  my  acquaintance,  one 
of  whom  had  brought  me  to  Singapore.  They  were, 
with  their  wives,  enjoying  a  picnic,  and,  on  seeing  me, 
insisted  on  my  joining  them  and  partaking  of  the 
repast. 

"  I  reached  Bangkok  the  same  day,  and  was  still  un- 
certain as  to  a  lodging,  when  M.  Wilson,  the  courte- 
ous Danish  consul,  came  to  me,  and  kindly  offered 
the  hospitality  of  his  magnificent  house. 

"  I  consider  the  part  of  the  country  which  I  had 
just  passed  through  extremely  healthy,  except,  per- 
haps, during  the  rains.  It  appears  that  in  this  season 
the  water,  flowing  down  from  the  mountains  and  pass- 
ing over  a  quantity  of  poisonous  detritus,  becomes  im- 
pregnated with  mineral  substances,  gives  out  pestilen- 
tial miasmata,  and  causes  the  terrible  jungle-fever, 
which,  if  it  does  not  at  once  carry  off  the  victim, 
leaves  behind  it  years  of  suffering.  My  journey,  as 
lias  been  seen,  took  place  at  the  end  of  the  rainy  sea- 
son and  when  the  floods  were  subsiding;  some  dele- 
terious exhalations,  doubtless,  still  escaped,  and  I  saw 
several  natives  attacked  with  intermittent  fever,  but 
I  had  not  had  an  hour's  illness.  Ought  I  to  attribute 
this  immunity  to  the  regimen  I  observed,  and  which 
had  been  strongly  recommended  to  me — abstinence, 
all  but  total,  from  wine  and  spirits,  and  drinking  only 
tea,  never  cold  water?  I  think  so  ;  and  I  believe  by 
such  a  course  one  is  in  no  great  danger." 


CHAPTER  XL 

FROM    BANGKOK     TO    CHANTABOUN— A    MISSIONARY 
JOURNEY  IN  1835 

FOR  many  years  the  region  on  the  eastern  shore 
of  the  gnlf  has  been  more  or  less  familiar  to 
the  foreign  residents  in  Bangkok.  So  long  ago  as 
1835  the  Protestant  missionaries  explored  and 
mapped  out,  with  a  good  degree  of  accuracy,  the 
coast  line  from  the  month  of  the  Meinam  to  the 
month  of  the  Chantabonn  River.  Extracts  from  the 
journal  of  Dr.  Bradley,  a  pioneer  among  American 
missionaries  in  Siam,  give  an  interesting  sketch  of 
the  country  as  it  was,  as  well  as  of  the  modes  of 
travel  many  years  ago,  and  the  beginnings  of  the 
civilization  in  which,  since  that  time,  Siam  has  made 
such  extraordinary  progress. 

Dr.  Bradley,  accompanied  by  another  missionary 
and  wife,  made  his  journey  in  the  first  vessel  ever 
built  in  Siam  on  a  European  model.  A  young  no- 
bleman, who  has  since  then  become  very  distin- 
guished by  reason  of  his  interest  in  scientific  pur- 
suits of  every  kind,  and  his  attainments  in  various 
branches  of  knowledge,  liad  built  at  Chantabonn  a 
brig  which  he  had  named  the  Ariel,  and  was 
about  returning  from  Bangkok  to  that  port.  "With 
the  liberality  and  kindness  by  which  his  conduct 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CHANTABOUN         147 

toward  the  missionaries  has  always  been  charac- 
terized, he  invited  Dr.  Bradley  and  his  colleague  to 
be  his  guests  on  the  return  voyage.  Dr.  Bradley 
thus  speaks  of  the  Ariel. 

"  "Went  aboard  of  the  brig  Ariel  to  have  a  look  at 
the  first  square-rigged  vessel  ever  made  in  Siam, 
and  brought  np  a  few  days  since  from  Chantabonn 
to  present  to  the  king.  Considering  that  this  is  the 
first  essay  made  in  this  country  to  imitate  European 
ship-building,  that  the-  young  nobleman  had  but 
poor  models,  if  any,  to  guide  him,  and  that  all  his 
knowledge  of  ship-building  has  been  gathered  by 
here  and  there  an  observation  of  foreign  vessels  in 
port,  this  brig  certainly  reflects  very  great  credit  on 
his  creative  genius.  Not  only  this,  but  other  facts 
also  indicate  that  the  young  nobleman  is  endowed 
with  an  uncommonly  capacious  mind  for  a  Siamese. 
It  appears  that  he  is  building  at  Chantabonn  several 
vessels  of  from  300  to  400  tons  burthen.  His  wife 
has  just  left  our  house,  having  spent  the  evening 
with  Mrs.  B.  She  possesses  man}7  interesting  quali- 
ties, and,  like  her  husband,  is  fond  of  the  society  of 
Europeans  and  Americans.  Her  attendants  were 
three  or  four  females  who  paddled  the  sampan  in 
which  she  came,  and  carried  her  betel-box  and  other 
accompaniments.  They  remained  at  the  door  in  a 
crouching  posture,  while  their  mistress  visited  Mrs. 
B.  Her  dress  consisted  of  a  phanung  of  ordinary 
cloth,  a  Birmese  jacket  of  crimson  crape,  a  scarlet 
sash  of  the  same  material,  and  a  leaden-colored 
shawl  of  the  richest  damask  silk." 

All  preparations  being  made  for  the  excursion,  and 


148  SIAM 

an  abundant  supply  of  Christian  tracts  laid  in  for  dis- 
tribution among  the  natives  as  opportunity  might 
offer,  Dr.  Bradley's  narrative  continues,  under  date  of 
November  12, 1835 : 

"  One  of  the  most  delightful  mornings  I  have  seen 
since  I  left  my  dear  native  land.  "While  the  brig  Ariel 
floated  down  with  the  tide,  I  called  upon  my  brethren 
in  company  with  my  wife,  when  I  took  leave  of  her 
for  the  first  time  since  we  were  married.  The  brig 
had  made  more  progress  than  we  were  aware,  which 
subjected  us  to  the  inconvenience  of  overtaking  her  in 
an  open  boat  under  a  burning  sun.  She  was  under  full 
press  of  sail  before  we  reached  her,  but  with  much  ex- 
ertion on  our  part  to  inspire  our  paddlers  to  lay  out 
more  strength,  by  crying  out  in  Chinese  tongue  qai 
qui,  and  in  the  Siamese  rcow  reow,  and  by  a  full- 
souled  response  on  their  part,  we  reached  the  brig  at 
12  A.M.  We  were  somewhat  disappointed  in  finding 
the  cabin  exclusively  occupied  by  the  mother  and  sis- 
ters of  Luang  E"ai  Sit,  who  being  high  in  rank  as  fe- 
males, must  of  course  have  the  best  accommodations 
on  board.  The  mother  is  allied  to  the  royal  family, 
and  consequently  ranks  higher  than  her  husband,  the 
p'rak'lang,  though  he  is  one  of  the  first  in  point 
of  office,  being  commander-in-chief  of  the  Siamese 
forces,  and  prime-minister  of  foreign  affairs.  But 
Luang  Nai  Sit  did  all  he  could  to  make  us  comfort- 
able on  deck,  spreading  a  double  awning  over  us,  one 
of  thin  canvas,  and  the  other  of  attap  leaves.  Our 
pride  was  somewhat  uncomfortably  tried  by  finding 
ourselves  dependent  upon  K'oon  Klin,  the  wife  of 
Luang  Nai  Sit.  for  the  common  comforts  of  shipboard. 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CHANTABOUN         149 

But  it  is  due  to  her  and  her  husband  to  say  that  they 
were  both  very  polite,  and  evidently  regretted  that 
they  could  not  then  make  us  perfectly  comfortable. 
They  anxiously  encouraged  us  with  the  promise  that 
after  a  little  time  they  would  have  matters  in  a  better 
state,  saying  that  their  mother  and  sisters  would  leave 
the  brig  at  Paknam,  and  give  us  the  occupancy  of  the 
cabin. 

"The  more  I  dwell  upon  it  the  more  I  am  inter- 
ested in  the  Providence  that  has  brought  us  on  board 
this  vessel.  But  it  may  be  asked,  What  is  there  pe- 
culiarly interesting  in  it  ?  Why,  here  is  a  new  Siam- 
ese brig,  recently  presented  to  the  king  of  Siam,  as 
the  first  specimen  of  a  successful  imitation  of  Euro- 
pean ship-building,  on  her  first  voyage,  volunteered 
by  one  of  the  first  men  in  the  kingdom  to  bear  a  com- 
pany of  missionaries  to  a  province  of  Siam,  carrying 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  a  people  who  have  never 
heard  it,  and  who,  to  use  the  expression  of  the  noble- 
man who  has  volunteered  to  take  us  thither, '  have  no 
God,  no  religion,  and  greatly  need  the  labors  of  mis- 
sionaries among  them.' 

"On  awaking  the  next  morning,  I  find  that  we  are 
lying  at  anchor  opposite  Paknam,  where  the  mother 
and  sisters  of  our  noble  friend  are  to  disembark.  It 
is  truly  affecting  to  witness  the  kind  attentions  of 
Luang  Kai  Sit,  and  to  observe  how  ready  he  is  to 
anticipate  our  wants,  and  prepare  to  meet  them. 
Last  evening,  while  we  were  singing,  a  company  of  na- 
tive singers  removed  their  seats  at  the  forecastle,  and 
sitting  down  near  to  us,  began  to  bawl  out  in  the  na- 
tive style.  Luang  Nai  Sit  soon  came  to  us  and  re- 


150  SIAM 

quested  that  we  should  go  to  the  upper  deck,  and  take 
seats  which  he  had  prepared  for  us,  saying,  '  There  is 
too  much  confusion  for  you  to  stay  here;  go  up 
yonder,  and  bless  God  undisturbed.' 

"These  native  singers,  I  am  informed,  are  now 
practising  with  a  view  to  sing  to  the  white  elephant 
at  Chantaboun.  They  sang  many  times  a  day,  of 
which  I  have  become  heartily  sick. 

"  We  weighed  anchor  very  early  in  the  morning  of 
the  14th,  and  sailed  with  the  tide  in  our  favor  for  the 
bar.  We  were  interested  in  witnessing  the  outgush- 
ings  of  maternal  and  filial  affection  of  the  noble  rel- 
atives just  before  we  sailed  from  Paknam.  Luang 
Nai  Sit  exhibited  much  of  it  on  parting  with  his 
mother,  and  she  was  tenderly  moved  on  taking  leave 
of  her  son  and  grandchildren.  [One  of  the  latter 
was  a  little  boy,  who  afterward  became  prime  min- 
ister and  minister  of  war.]  We  noticed  that  their 
tears  were  allowed  to  flow  only  in  the  cabin,  out  of 
sight  of  their  slaves.  On  deck,  and  when  in  the  act 
of  parting,  they  were  solemn  and  perfectly  composed. 
A  little  after  sunrise  we  came  in  sight  of  the  moun- 
tains of  Keo,  which  to  me  was  a  peculiarly  gratifying 
sight.  I  had  for  months  sighed  after  something  of 
the  kind  to  interrupt  the  dead  monotony  of  Bangkok. 
There,  do  what  you  ma}'  by  the  means  of  telescopes 
and  towers,  you  will  discover  nothing  but  one  un- 
broken plain." 

We  condense  Dr.  Bradlcy's  journal  from  this  point, 
omitting  unnecessary  details  of  the  voyage: 

"  Arose  at  four  in  the  morning  of  the  loth,  and 
found  that  we  were  at  anchor  a  little  south  of  the  Keo 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CUANTABOUN         151 

Mountains,  having  Koh  Chang  or  See  Chang  on  the 
west,  eight  miles  distant,  and  the  coast  of  See  Mali  a 
Hacha  on  the  east,  five  miles  distant.  I  know  not 
when  I  have  been  so  delighted  with  natural  scenery 
as  at  this  time.  Kot  a  cloud  was  seen  in  the  heavens. 
The  moon  walked  in  brightness  amid  myriads  of 
twinkling  suns  and  shining  worlds.  A  balmy  and 
gentle  breeze  just  ruffled  the  bosom  of  the  deep.  The 
wonted  confusion  of  the  deck  was  perfectly  hushed. 
Lofty  mountains  and  a  rugged  and  romantic  coast 
darkened  the  eastern  horizon.  At  five  o'clock  Luang 
Kai  Sit  invited  us  to  go  ashore  with  him.  We  readily 
accepted  the  invitation  and  accompanied  our  friend  to 
the  village  of  See  Maha  Racha,  attended  by  his  body- 
guard, armed  with  guns,  swords,  and  lances.  The 
scenery,  as  the  dawn  brightened,  was  most  exhilarat- 
ing. The  mountains,  hills,  and  plains  were  covered 
with  vegetation  in  the  liveliest  green,  with  here  and 
there  a  cultivated  spot.  As  we  approached  the  settle- 
ment from  the  west,  at  our  right  was  a  rock-bound 
coast.  Just  in  the  background  of  this,  and  parallel 
with  it,  was  an  admirably  undulated  ridge,  which 
seemed  to  be  composed  of  hill  rolled  close  upon  hill. 
At  our  left  were  islands  of  lofty  white-capped  rocks. 
Further  removed,  at  the  east,  were  mountains  tower, 
ing  behind  mountains.  Before  us  was  an  extensive 
plain  bounded  with  mountains  far  in  the  distance. 
We  reached  the  village  a  little  after  sunrise,  which 
we  found  to  contain  three  hundred  or  four  hundred 
souls,  chiefly  Siamese.  It  was  a  matter  of  not  a  little 
regret  that  we  had  no  tracts  to  give  them.  The  people 
seemed  to  live  in  somewhat  of  a  tidy  manner,  not 


152  SIAM 

very  unlike  a  poor  villager  in  our  own  country.  Still 
their  houses  were  bnilt  of  bamboo,  and  elevated,  ac- 
cording to  the  Siamese  custom,  as  on  stilts.  "We 
called  at  several  houses,  and  found  the  females  en- 
gaged in  eating  their  rice.  We  attempted  to  pene- 
trate the  jungle  behind  the  settlement,  but  did  not  go 
far,  as  there  seemed  to  be  but  little  prospect  that  we 
should  descry  other  settlements. 

"  Having  spent  a  part  of  an  hour  in  surveying  the 
village,  we  followed  our  honorable  guide  along  the 
beach,  among  immense  ferruginous  and  quartz  rocks 
having  apparently  been  undermined  by  the  restless 
ocean,  and  these  were  interlaid  with  small  seashells 
of  great  variety.  On  the  one  hand  we  had  the  music 
of  the  roaring  tide,  on  the  other  an  admirable  jungle, 
overhanging  the  beach  from  the  east,  and  thus  pro- 
tecting us  from  the  blaze  of  the  rising  sun,  while  the 
air  was  perfumed  with  many  a  flower.  Several  boat- 
loads of  Luang  Xai  Sit's  retinue  soon  came  off  the 
brig  to  the  shore,  which  composed  a  company  of 
fifty  or  more.  At  length  a  boat  came  loaded  with  pro- 
visions for  a  picnic  breakfast,  all  cooked  and  duly  ar- 
ranged on  salvers.  The  whole  company  (ourselves 
excepted)  sat  down  on  the  beach  in  three  classes,  and 
there  partook  of  the  repast  with  a  keen  relish.  Luang 
Kai  Sit  and  his  brothers  ate  by  themselves  ;  the  wom- 
en, consisting  of  K'oon  Klin,  or  wife  of  the  chief, 
and  her  children  and  other  high  blood  attendants,  ate 
by  themselves.  After  these  had  finished  their  break- 
fast, the  multitude  of  dependents  messed  together. 
Meanwhile  the  natives  of  the  village  and  vicinity 
flocked  in,  loaded  with  plantains,  red  peppers,  ceri- 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CIIANTABOUN         153 

leaves,  cocoannts,  jack-fruit,  etc.,  and  presented  them 
as  tokens  of  respect  to  the  son  of  their  lord,  the 
p'rak'lang,  and  to  him  they  bowed  and  worshipped  on 
their  hands  and  knees.  At  10  A.M.  we  returned  to  the 
brig  in  an  uncovered  boat,  in  company  with  K'oon 
Klin  and  her  train.  Luang  Nai  Sit  could  not,  of 
course,  return  in  the  same  boat  with  the  women,  as  it 
would  be  a  violation  of  Siamese  custom.  He  came 
in  another  boat  behind  us.  The  sun  was  very  power- 
ful, and  that,  together  with  the  crowd  and  confusion 
of  the  company  in  the  absence  of  their  chief,  quite 
overcame  me  in  my  feebleness  of  health. 

"  At  11  A.M.  our  anchor  was  again  weighed,  and 
we  sailed  very  pleasantly  before  a  gentle  breeze,  be- 
ing continually  in  full  sight  of  the  main-land  at  our 
left,  and  the  islands  of  Koh  Kram,  Sewalan,  and  a 
number  of  others  on  our  right.  The  former  is  noted 
for  the  quantities  of  turtles  which  are  caught  on  its 
coasts,  the  latter  is  a  cluster  of  verdant  spots,  prob- 
ably uninhabited  by  man.  Much  of  the  mainland 
which  we  have  as  yet  passed  is  mountainous,  diversi- 
fied with  extensive  plains,  and  covered  with  lofty 
timber.  With  the  aid  of  the  brig's  telescope  we  de- 
scried several  villages  on  the  shore." 

After  beating  about  for  a  night  and  a  day  in  a  good 
deal  of  uncertainty  and  some  peril  (for  the  Siamese 
officers  and  crew  were  unskilful  navigators),  "  we  were 
not  a  little  disappointed  on  the  morning  of  the  18th 
in  supposing  that  we  were  entering  the  mouth  of  Chan- 
taboun  River,  which  proved  to  be  but  a  passage  be- 
tween the  island  of  Semet  and  the  main  coast.  It 
seems  that  we  have  been  beating  for  this  passage  be- 
ll 


154  SI  AM 

tvveen  thirty  and  forty  hours,  and  but  a  few  miles 
from  it  all  the  time.  The  scenery  about  this  place  is 
quite  charming,  combining  much  of  the  romantic  with 
the  beautiful.  Have  sailed  twenty  or  thirty  miles  this 
afternoon  in  full  sight  of  the  coast,  passing  many  small 
islands,  which  have  given  us  a  very  pleasing  variety. 
Much  of  the  coast  is  level  near  the  sea,  with  towering 
mountains,  several  miles  distant.  One  island  which  we 
passed  near  by  is  worthy  of  some  notice.  It  is  quite 
small,  composed  of  rocks,  which  rise  sixty  or  eighty 
feet  above  the  water,  and  crowned  with  pleasant  shrub- 
bery. It  has  a  wing  extending  out  fifty  feet  or  more, 
which  is  about  thirty  feet  high,  and  through  this  there 
is  a  natural  tunnel,  having  much  the  appearance  of  an 
artificial  arch  of  stone,  and  apparently  large  enough  to 
allow  a  common-sized  boat  to  pass.  Hence  the  islet  is 
called  Koh  Loo. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  19th,  the  curtains  of  a 
tempestuous  night  having  been  removed,  very  much 
to  our  joy  we  found  that  we  were  in  sight  of  our  de- 
sired haven,  and  we  enjoyed  much  interesting  scenery 
while  tossing  about  during  the  day.  There  are  many 
bold  islands  in  this  vicinity,  with  rocky  bases,  and 
crowned  with  luxuriant  vegetation.  Koh  Ch'ang  lies 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles  south  of  us.  It  is  a  large  isl- 
and, with  lofty  peaks,  and  it  is  said  to  be  famous  for 
elephants  and  that  there  are  several  thousand  souls 
upon  it.  Frit  Prote  are  three  small  islands,  interest- 
ing only  as  affording  pleasant  objects  to  the  eye  of 
the  naturalist.  Koh  ]STom  Low  is  a  very  curious  pin- 
nacle near  the  entrance  into  the  mouth  of  Chantabouu 
River.  "With  a  small  base,  it  rises  out  of  the  sea  prob- 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CHANTABOUN         155 

ably  four  hundred  feet.  The  mouth  of  the  river  is  ad- 
mirably guarded  by  an  arm  of  a  mountain  ridge, 
which  extends  out  into  the  sea  and  embraces  the  har- 
bor, which  is  also  artificially  protected  by  two  bat- 
teries. The  coast  extends  east  by  southeast.  That  part 
of  it  east  of  the  river,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
sea,  is  level,  low,  and  covered  with  a  thick  jungle. 
The  main  body  of  the  trees  appear  low,  having  inter- 
spersed among  them  many  tall  trees,  with  here  and 
there  small  hills,  handsomely  attired.  Parallel  with 
this  coast,  and  apparently  ten  miles  from  the  sea,  the 
mountain  Sal  Bap  towers  into  the  clouds,  and  stretches 
a  long  way  to  the  north  and  to  the  south.  The  coast 
west  of  the  river  is  rugged  and  mountainous.  In  the 
apparent  direction  of  the  river  there  are  several  sub- 
lime peaks.  As  far  as  the  eye  can  command,  vegeta- 
tion appears  luxuriant,  but  is  quite  different  from  that 
of  Bangkok.  The  cocoanut  palm,  which  is  the  queen 
of  all  the  jungles  in  that  vicinity,  is  not  to  be  seen 
here.  The  appearance  of  the  water  about  the  mouth 
of  this  river  is  perfectly  clear,  while  that  of  the  Mei- 
nam  is  extremely  turbid." 

At  this  point  the  missionaries'  Siamese  friend  left 
them  and  proceeded  in  advance  to  Chantaboun.  On 
the  day  following,  November  21st,  "  he  sent  back  a 
small  junk  for  us,  which  we  gladly  accepted,  and 
took  passage  in  her,  starting  in  the  morning,  and  ex- 
pected of  course  that  we  should  arrive  at  our  desti- 
nation early  in  the  evening.  But  almost  every  rod  of 
our  way  seemed  beset  with  extraordinary  obstacles. 
In  the  first  place,  we  had  a  strong  contrary  wind  to 
contend  with,  which  obliged  us  to  beat  till  late  in  the 


156  81  AM 

afternoon  with  bnt  little  success.  In  the  early  even- 
ing the  breeze  became  gentle,  when,  with  great  en- 
treaty on  our  part,  our  boatmen  were  induced  to  take 
to  their  oars.  Presently  we  found  a  strong  current 
against  us,  and  within  the  next  half  hour  our  boat 
touched  the  bottom  of  the  channel  and  became  im- 
movable in  the  mud.  ]STow  it  seemed  certain  that 
instead  of  reaching  our  destination  early  in  the  even- 
ing, as  we  had  hoped,  we  should  be  under  the  ne- 
cessity of  staying  aboard  of  our  craft  all  night,  ex- 
posed to  the  inclemency  of  the  night  air,  and  with 
but  a  scanty  supply  of  food.  It  was  well  that  we  had 
taken  a  late  breakfast,  for  a  cup  of  tea  with  sea 
bread  and  cheese  had  to  suffice  both  for  our  dinner 
and  supper.  With  these  we  satisfied  the  cravings  of 
hunger,  being,  I  trust,  thankful  to  God  that  we  were 
so  well  fed.  Having  taken  our  frugal  supper  we 
sought  for  places  to  lodge  ourselves  for  the  night. 
As  for  a  cabin,  of  course  there  was  none  in  such  a 
junk.  There  were  holds,  but  they  were  filled  with 
luggage.  My  fellow-travellers  preferred  to  seek 
their  rest  on  the  open  deck  in  a  half-reclining  post- 
ure, wrapped  up  in  their  cloaks.  I  found  a  place  in 
the  '  hinder  part  of  the  ship '  just  large  enough  to  lie 
down  in,  where  I  spread  my  mattress  and  tried  to 
sleep.  About  midnight  the  tide  rose  and  bore  our 
junk  away  from  the  mud.  But  it  was  only  a  little 
time  when  it  was  announced  by  a  singular  scraping 
on  our  boat's  bottom,  and  by  a  tremendous  scolding 
of  a  party  of  Chinamen  whom  we  had  met,  that  we 
had  found  another  obstacle.  It  was  soon  revealed 
that  we  had  got  entangled  in  a  fish-net  belonging  to 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CHANTABOUN         157 

the  Chinamen.  Here  we  were  detained  an  hour  or 
more  in  efforts  to  disengage  onr  boat  from  the  ropes 
of  the  fish-net.  After  this  was  done  I  know  not 
what  other  impediments  we  met  with,  for  I  fell  into 
a  sleep. 

"  At  4  A.M.  it  was  announced  that  we  had  arrived 
at  onr  destination.  We  shook  off  our  slumbers  and 
looked  out,  and  behold  our  junk  was  anchored  in 
front  of  a  house  with  open  doors,  literally,  and  win- 
dows without  shutters,  while  a  piercing,  chilling 
wind  was  whistling  through  it.  It  proved  to  be,  not 
in  Chantaboun,  but  several  miles  below  it  at  a  Siam- 
ese dockyard.  As  all  our  boatmen  had  gone  ashore, 
and  we  were  left  without  a  guide,  we  determined  to 
'  stick  to  the  ship '  till  full  day,  and  accordingly  lay 
down  and  took  another  nap.  When  we  arose  early 
in  the  morning  we  were  surprised  to  learn  that 
Luang  Nai  Sit  and  his  retinue  had  lodged  in  that 
bleak  house  the  night  before,  and  had  gone  up  the 
river  to  Chantaboun,  and  that  this  was  the  place  he 
designed  to  have  us  occupy  while  we  sojourned  in 
this  part  of  Siam.  This  house  assigned  to  us  here  is 
situated  over  the  water,  exposed  to  the  strong  north 
winds  that  blow  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 
It  is  built  of  bamboo  slats  and  small  poles,  so  as  to 
operate  as  a  kind  of  sieve  for  the  bleak  winds.  The 
most  of  the  floor  is  also  of  bamboo  slats,  and  admits 
strong  currents  of  air  through  them,  while  the  waves 
are  both  heard  and  seen  dashing  beneath  them.  The 
roof  is  made  of  attap  leaves,  which  rattle  like  hail 
in  the  wind.  The  best  rooms  in  the  house,  two  in 
number,  are  enclosed  with  bamboo  slats  and  lined 


158  8IAM 

with  cajung.  These  were  politely  assigned  to  us  by 
our  kind  friend,  who  is  ever  ready  to  deny  himself  to 
oblige  us.  This  would  be  a  delightfully  cool  place  in 
the  spring  and  summer  months,  but  at  this  season  of 
the  year  it  is  unpleasantly  chilly. 

"  This  place  has  no  importance,  only  what  is  con- 
nected with  the  ship-building  carried  on  here. 
There  are  now  on  the  stocks  not  less  than  fifty  ves- 
sels, consisting  of  two  ships  of  three  hundred  or  four 
hundred  tons  burden,  thirty  or  forty  war-boats  or 
junks,  and  a  number  of  smaller  craft." 

On  the  following  day  the  missionaries  made  an 
excursion  up  the  river  as  high  as,  the  p'rak'lang's  es- 
tablishment, where  "  we  left  our  boat  and  proceeded 
by  land  two  or  three  miles  to  Bang  Ka  Chah.  The 
river  up  to  the  place  where  we  left  it  is  exceedingly 
serpentine,  the  banks  being  low  and  overflowed  by 
the  tides,  and  covered  with  an  impenetrable  jungle 
of  low  timber. 

"  As  we  drew  near  the  p'rak'lang's  there  appeared 
pleasant  fields  of  paddy,  and  at  a  distance  a  beauti- 
ful acclivity  partially  cleared,  around  which  govern- 
ment is  building  extensive  fortifications.  The  works 
are  rapidly  advancing.  The  circumference  of  the 
enclosure  when  finished  will  not  vary  much  from  two 
miles.  The  embankment  is  forty  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  and  the  depth  of  the  ditch  on 
the  outside  will  increase  it  six  feet.  The  earth  is  of 
a  remarkably  red  color,  and  gives  the  embankment 
the  appearance  of  solid  brick.  This  is  to  be  sur- 
rounded by  a  breastwork  six  feet  high,  with  port- 
holes, and  made  of  brick  literally  dug  out  of  the 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CHANTABOUN         159 

earth,  winch,  a  few  feet  from  the  surface,  possesses 
the  consistence  of  brick  that  had  been  a  little  dried 
in  the  snn.  Blocks  eighteen  inches  in  length,  nine 
in  breadth,  and  six  in  thickness,  are  cut  out  by 
Chinamen  and  Malays,  which,  with  a  little  smooth- 
ing, are  prepared  for  laying  into  the  wall. 

"  We  were  objects  of  great  curiosity  to  the  natives. 
Our  passport  was  only  to  tell  them  that  we  came 
from  Bangkok  in  Koon  Sit's  brig,  and  this  was  per- 
fectly satisfactory.  With  the  idea  that  Bang  Ka 
Chah  was  but  a  little  way  onward,  we  continued  to 
walk,  being  very  much  exhilarated  by  the  sight  of 
palmy  plains,  palmy  hills  and  extensive  rice  planta- 
tions. The  country  appeared  to  have  a  first-rate  soil, 
and  to  be  very  extensively  cultivated.  The  paddy 
fields  were  heavy  laden  and  well  filled.  It  was  har- 
vest time.  In  one  direction  you  might  see  reapers  ; 
in  another  gatherers  of  the  sheaves ;  in  another 
threshers ;  one  with  his  buffaloes  treading  out  the 
grain,  another  with  his  bin  and  rack,  against  which 
he  was  beating  the  sheaves.  The  lots  were  divided 
by  foot-paths  merely,  consisting  of  a  little  ridge 
thrown  up  by  the  farmers. 

"  In  Bang  Ka  Chah  we  found  a  settlement  of  four 
thousand  or  more  Chinese.  Our  guide  conducted  us 
to  a  comfortable  house,  where,  much  to  my  comfort, 
we  were  offered  a  place  to  lie  down,  and  presented 
with  tea  and  fruit.  We  had  not  been  in  the  place 
ten  minutes  before  we  had  attracted  around  us  hun- 
dreds of  men,  women,  and  children,  who  were  as 
eager  to  examine  us  Americans  as  the  latter  once 
were  to  examine  the  Siamese  twins.  The  inhabitants 


160  SI  AM 

appeared  remarkably  healthy.  I  could  not  discover 
a  sickly  countenance  among  them.  There  were 
many  very  aged  people.  Children  were  particularly 
abundant  and  interesting.  How  inviting  a  harvest, 
thought  I,  is  here  for  the  future  missionary.  The 
houses  are  mostly  built  of  brick  after  the  common 
style  of  Chinese  architecture.  The  streets  are  crook- 
ed, narrow,  and  filthy.  At  4  o'clock,  P.M.,  we  returned 
to  the  house  of  Luang  Nai  Sit,  who  lives  near  his 
father,  the  p'rak'lang,  where  we  were  refreshed  with  a 
good  dinner,  after  which  we  took  to  our  boats  and 
arrived  at  our  lodgings  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
"  We  have  made  an  excursion  to  the  town  of 
Chantaboun.  It  is  about  nine  miles  from  the 
place  where  we  stay,  being  on  the  main  branch  of 
the  river,  while  Bang  Ka  Oh  ah  is  on  a  smaller  one. 
After  we  passed  the  p'rak'lang's,  there  was  much  to 
be  seen  that  was  in  no  small  degree  interesting.  The 
river  was  from  sixty  to  eighty  yards  wide,  appar- 
ently deep  and  exceedingly  serpentine.  The  banks 
were  generally  cleared  of  wild  timber,  gently  ele- 
vated, uniformly  smooth,  and  cultivated.  As  we 
approached  Chantaboun,  the  margin  of  the  river  was 
most  charmingly  graced  with  chimps  of  the  bamboo, 
and  several  fields  were  bounded  with  the  same  tree. 
We  passed  not  far  from  the  foot  of  the  lofty  moun- 
tain Sah  Bap,  from  which  point  we  could  also  see 
several  other  mountains.  The  top  of  one  was  lost  in 
the  clouds.  Xear  Chantaboun  the  river  is  quite 
lined  on  one  side  with  Siamese  war-junks  on  the 
stocks.  The  reigning  passion  of  the  government  at 
present  is  to  make  preparations  in  this  section  of 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CUANTABOUN         1G1 

their  country  for  defence  against  the  Cochin-Chinese, 
and  for  aggressions  against  the  same  if  need  be. 

"We  reached  Chantaboun  at  2  P.M.  The  na- 
tives discovering  us  as  we  drew  near  their  place, 
congregated  by  scores  on  the  banks  of  the  river  to 
look  at  us.  They  were  exceedingly  excited,  the 
children  particularly,  and  scarcely  knew  how  to  con- 
tain themselves.  Some  ran  \vith  all  their  might  to 
proclaim  in  the  most  animated  manner  to  the  inhabi- 
tants ahead  that  we  were  coining.  Others  jumped 
up  and  down,  laughing  and  hallooing  most  merrily. 
We  preferred  to  pass  up  the  river  to  the  extreme 
end  of  the  town  before  we  landed,  that  in  coming 
down  by  land  we  might  form  some  estimate  of  the 
amount  of  the  inhabitants.  The  town  is  situated  on 
both  sides  of  the  stream,  which  is  probably  eighty 
yards  wide.  As  we  passed  along  we  observed  one 
of  the  most  pleasant  situations  occupied  by  a  Roman 
Catholic  chapel.  Its  appearance,  together  with  some 
peculiarities  in  the  inhabitants,  led  us  to  think  that 
the  Catholics  had  got  a  strong  foothold  here.  We 
saw  only  four  Siamese  priests  and  no  temples.  The 
houses  on  the  river  were  built  principally  of  bamboo 
and  attap.  They  were  small,  elevated  five  or  six  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  wore  the  aspect  of  old  age. 
The  ground  on  which  the  town  is  situated  rises  gently 
from  the  river  and  is  a  dry  and  sandy  loam.  There 
were  a  number  of  middling-sized  junks  lying  in  the 
river,  which  proves  that  the  stream  is  sufficiently 
deep  to  admit  of  the  passage  of  such  craft. 

"Having  reached  the  farthest  extremity  of  the 
place,  we  landed  and  walked  down  the  principal 


1G2  SI  AM 

street.  We  were  thronged  with  wondering  multi- 
tudes, who  were  Cochin,  Tachti,  and  Hokien-Chinese, 
with  only  here  and  there  a  Siamese.  The  inhabitants 
looked  healthy,  and  were  more  perfectly  dressed  than 
we  usually  observe  in  heathen  villages  in  this  climate. 
The  day  being  far  spent  we  could  not  prolong  our  stay 
more  than  one  hour.  When  we  got  into  our  boat  to 
return  the  people  literally  surrounded  us,  although  it 
was  in  the  water.  Some  stood  in  the  river  waist-deep 
to  get  a  look  at  the  lady  of  the  party,  and  petitioned 
that  she  should  rise  from  her  seat,  that  thej7  might  see 
how  tall  she  was.  As  we  pushed  out  into  the  river  the 
multitudes  shouted  most  heartily.  There  cannot  be 
less  than  eight  thousand  or  ten  thousand  souls  in 
Chantaboun,  and  probably  thousands  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity. 

"  On  our  return  we  stopped  at  Luang  ISTai  Sit's,  and 
spent  an  hour  or  more.  In  looking  about  the  prem- 
ises we  heedlessly  entered  a  large  bamboo  house, 
where  to  our  surprise  we  saw  a  monster  of  an  ele- 
phant, and  his  excellency,  the  p'rak'lang,  who  beck- 
oned to  us  to  enter  and  directed  us  to  seats.  We 
learned  that  this  elephant  was  denominated  white, 
and  seemed  to  be  an  object  of  great  religious  venera- 
tion. He  was  as  far  from  being  white  as  black. 
There  appeared  to  be  a  little  white  powder  sprinkled 
upon  his  back.  He  was  fastened  to  a  post,  and  a  man 
was  feeding  him  with  paddy-grass. 

"  All  the  days  that  we  have  been  in  this  place  have 
been  very  uncomfortably  cold.  We  have  not  only 
wanted  winter  clothes,  but  have  found  ourselves  most 
comfortable  when  wrapped  up  in  our  cloaks  till  the 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CIIANTABOUN         1G3 

middle  and  sometimes  till  after  the  middle  of  the  day. 
The  natives  shiver  like  the  aspen  leaf,  and  they  act 
much  as  an  American  in  the  coldest  winter  day.  The 
northeast  monsoon  sweeps  over  the  mountains,  and  I 
think  produces  a  current  downward  from  that  high 
and  cool  region  of  air,  which  retains  nearly  its  tem- 
perature till  after  it  has  passed  this  place. 

"  It  seems  that  there  are  a  great  number  of  set- 
tlements, within  the  circumference  of  a  few  miles,  as 
large  as  Bang  Ka  Chah ;  that  the  country  is  admi- 
rably watered  by  three  rivers ;  and  that  the  soil  is  rich 
and  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  growth  of  pepper,  of 
which  large  quantities  are  raised.  There  is  a  small 
mountain  near  by,  where  it  is  said  diamonds  are  pro- 
cured. At  Bang  Ka  Chah  there  is  a  remarkable 
cave  in  a  mountain.  The  country  intervening  be- 
tween Bang  Ka  Chah  and  Thamai  is  under  a  high 

o  o 

state  of  cultivation,  being  almost  exclusively  occu- 
pied by  Chinamen,  who  cultivate  rice,  tobacco,  pep- 
per, etc.  The  face  of  the  country  is  pleasantly  un- 
dulated. Thamai  contains  four  hundred  or  five  hun- 
dred souls,  chiefly  Chinese.  Nung  Boah  lies  east 
from  this  place  about  four  miles  by  the  course  of  the 
river.  It  is  not  a  condensed  settlement,  but  an  ag- 
ricultural and  horticultural  district,  with  thirty  or 
forty  dwellings,  perhaps,  on  every  square  mile.  It 
is  situated  on  a  large  plain,  a  little  distance  from  the 
foot  of  the  mount  Sah  Bap.  Not  more  than  a  quar- 
ter of  the  land  is  cultivated,  while  the  remainder  is 
covered  with  small  and  scrubby  jungle  wood.  Multi- 
tudes of  charming  flowers  lined  both  sides  of  the 
paths  as  we  walked  from  one  farm  to  another ;  and 


1C4  SIAM 

many  a  bird  was  seen  of  beautiful  plumage  and  some 
of  pleasant  note.  The  graceful  tops  of  cocoanut 
trees  we  found  a  never-failing  sign  of  a  human  dwell- 
ing, and  sometimes  of  a  cluster  of  them.  The  land 
is  almost  wholly  occupied  by  Tachu-Chinese ;  a  few 
of  them  have  Siamese  wives,  the  remainder  are  sin- 
gle men.  They  cultivate  but  small  portions  of  land, 
which  they  bring  under  a  high  state  of  improvement. 
They  raise  chiefly  sugar-cane,  pepper,  and  tobacco. 
The  soil,  being  a  rich  loam,  is  well  adapted  to  the 
culture  of  these  articles,  as  well  as  of  a  great  variety 
of  horticultural  plants. 

"  We  have  continued  our  surveys  to  the  south- 
east of  this  place,  and  visited  Plieoo,  a  settlement 
south  of  Nung  Boah.  We  left  our  boat  at  Barn- 
Chowkow,  which  is  a  settlement  of  Siamese,  consist- 
ing of  about  sixty  families  living  in  a  very  rural, 
and,  for  a  Siamese,  a  very  comfortable  style,  in  the 
midst  of  groves  of  cocoanuts,  interspersed  with  many 
a  venerable  jungle-tree.  On  either  side  of  a  gentle 
elevation  on  which  their  houses  are  scattered  along  a 
line  of  half  a  mile,  are  rice-fields  far  surpassing  in 
excellence  any  I  had  before  seen.  The  grain  was 
nearly  all  out,  and  a  large  proportion  of  it  gathered. 
They  need  no  barns,  and  therefore  have  none.  At 
this  season  of  the  year  they  have  no  rains  to  trouble 
them.  The  rice  is  threshed  by  buffaloes.  All  the 
preparation  that  is  necessary  for  this  is  to  smooth 
and  harden  a  circle  of  ground  30  feet  in  diameter, 
and  set  a  post  in  its  centre.  Siamese  carts  have 
wheels  not  less  than  twenty-five  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence, set  four  or  five  feet  apart,  with  a  small  rack  in 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CHANTABOUN         165 

which  the  sheaves  are  placed.  These  are  drawn  by 
a  yoke  of  buffaloes.  The  person  who  loads  the  cart 
guides  the  team  by  means  of  ropes,  which  are  fast- 
ened to  the  septum  of  their  nostrils  by  hooks. 

"  At  Plieoo  we  first  went  into  a  blacksmith's  shop, 
where  four  Chinamen  were  employed.  The  master 
was  very  polite  and  did  all  he  could  think  of  to  make 
us  comfortable.  He  prepared  his  couch  for  us  to  rest 
upon,  got  us  a  cup  of  tea,  etc.  "We  gave  him  one  of 
the  histories  of  Christ,  for  which  lie  was  abundantly 
thankful.  We  next  went  to  the  market,  where  we 
disposed  of  a  few  books.  Entering  into  the  house  of 
a  Chinaman,  we  were  surprised  to  find  three  Siamese 
priests.  The  master  of  the  house  had  prepared  a 
very  neat  dinner  for  one  of  his  clerical  guests,  and 
was  just  in  the  act  of  sitting  down  on  the  floor  to  eat, 
as  we  entered.  There  was  a  frown  on  his  brow  as  he 
saw  us  approach.  Although  he  could  read,  he  utterly 
refused  to  receive  a  tract.  Being  much  in  want  of 
some  refreshment,  I  proposed  that  he  should  let  me 
have  a  dish  of  rice.  He  refused.  I  still  pleaded  for 
a  little,  but  he  was  determined  that  I  should  not  be 
fed  from  the  same  table  with  his  priest.  After  a 
little  time  we  returned  to  our  good  friend  the  black- 
smith, and  merely  suggested  to  him  our  want  of 
food.  The  aged,  hospitable  man  seemed  very  happy 
that  he  could  have  an  opportunity  to  render  us  such 
kindness  and  hastened  to  prepare  us  a  dinner.  He 
went  himself  to  market  and  purchased  a  variety  of 
articles  for  our  comfort.  The  table  was  soon  well 
supplied  with  rice,  eggs,  greens,  and  various  nameless 
Chinese  nick-nacks. 


166  ,       SI  A  M 

"In  the  village  of  Plieoo  there  are  only  a  few  hun- 
dred souls,  who  are  mostly  Tachu-Chinese,  and  can- 
not read.  Their  wives  are  Siamese.  We  conclude, 
from  what  we  were  able  to  learn,  that  the  vicinity  is 
densely  populated." 

The  voyage  back  to  Bangkok  was  comfortably 
made  in  a  small  junk  furnished  by  Luang  Nai  Sit, 
and  in  company  with  his  brother-in-law,  an  agreeable 
and  intelligent  Siamese.  Dr.  Bradley  continues: 

"  We  have  in  tow  an  elegant  boat,  designed  prob- 
ably for  some  one  of  the  nobles  at  Bangkok.  It  was 
manufactured  at  Semetgaan.  The  Siamese  possess 
superior  skill  in  making  these  boats.  They  have  the 
very  best  materials  the  world  can  afford  for  such  pur- 
poses. The  boats  consist  generally  of  but  one  piece. 

"  A  large  tree  is  taken  and  scooped  out  in  the  form 
of  a  trough.  By  some  process,  I  know  not  what,  the 
sides  are  then  sprung  outward,  which  draws  the  ex- 
tremities into  a  beautiful  curve  upward.  After  this 
is  done  the  boat  is  admirably  wrought  and  trimmed. 
The  one  we  have  in  tow  is  about  sixty  feet  in  length 
and  five  in  breadth.  Compared  with  many  it  is  quite 
small.  I  have  seen  not  a  few  that  were  nearly  a 
hundred  feet  long  and  from  six  to  eight  feet  wide, 
made  in  the  way  I  have  above  described. 

"  [Not  long  after  the  above  was  written,  the  writer 
learned  that  these  boats  are  swelled  out  in  their  mid- 
ships by  means  of  fire,  and  that  the  curves  of  their 
bows  and  sterns  are  increased  by  means  of  pieces  of 
the  same  kind  of  timber  so  neatly  fitted  and  firmly 
joined  as  to  appear  on  a  distant  examination  to  be  a 
continuation  of  the  body  of  the  boat.] 


FROM  BANGKOK  TO  CUANTABOUN         167 

"  On  the  morning  of  December  16th  we  were  pass- 
ing between  Koh  Samet  and  Sern  Yah.  After  we 
passed  this  our  course  lay  west-northwest  to  another 
cape  called  Sah  Wa  Larn.  The  wind  was  favorable 
but  light,  and  we  were  becalmed  in  the  heat  of  the 
day  four  hours  or  more.  The  heat  was  excessively 
oppressive.  No  shade  on  deck  and  my  cabin  a  small 
place,  not  large  enough  to  admit  of  my  standing  up- 
right. Our  vessel  has  been  rowed  much  of  the  af- 
ternoon for  the  want  of  wind.  Cast  anchor  just  at 
evening  a  little  east  of  Sah  Wa  Larn,  having  made 
less  than  twenty  miles  during  the  day.  The  coast 
about  Lem  Sing  is  very  picturesque.  West  of  this, 
till  you  come  to  Sah  Wa  Larn,  it  is  uniformly  level. 
The  land  appears  to  be  entirely  uncultivated.  The 
forests  are  composed  of  large  timber,  their  tops  pre- 
senting a  very  uniform  surface.  I  have  much  cause 
for  gratitude  to  God  that  I  find  in  my  companion, 
Soot  Chin  Dah,  a  very  attentive  friend.  He  is  de- 
sirous to  render  me  all  the  assistance  he  can  in  ac- 
quiring the  Siamese  language,  in  which  I  hope  I  am 
making  some  proficiency  by  engaging  with  him  in 
conversation. 

"  The  scene  between  Koh  Arat  and  Koh  Yai,  in 
the  midst  of  which  we  were  at  anchor  the  next  morn- 
ing, is  most  charming.  The  distance  from  one  to 
the  other  is  about  one  rnile.  Arat  is  a  small  island 
rising  very  abruptly  many  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea.  At  the  top  is  a  rock  of  a  conical  form,  which 
seems  on  the  point  of  rolling  down  with  a  tremen- 
dous crash  into  the  sea.  Koh  Yai  is  a  much  larger 
island,  and  hence  its  name.  A  little  before  us  was 


168  SIAM 

the  cape  Samaasarn,  shielded  against  the  sea  by  im- 
mense white  rocks.  Just  as  the  sun  was  rising  Soot 
Chin  Dah  invited  me  to  accompany  him  to  Koh  Yai 
for  a  morning  exercise.  Our  fine  boat  was  maimed 
with  nineteen  men,  and  we  went  off  in  princely 
style.  We  coasted  some  distance  and  then  landed ; 
whence  we  walked  a  long  way,  first  on  a  sandy 
beach  and  then  among  rocks  composed  of  marine 
shells  interlaid  with  coral  and  shells  of  infinite  va- 
riety. The  land  was  all  one  unbroken  jungle. 
Much  of  the  small  timber  was  of  a  thorny  kind, 
which  seemed  to  bid  defiance  to  human  invasion. 
Our  men  were  chiefly  engaged  in  picking  up  shells 
suitable  for  gambling  purposes.  On  our  return  we 
touched  at  Arat,  where  I  amused  myself  a  little  time 
in  climbing  around  craggy  and  stupendous  rocks. 
After  two  hours  we  returned  to  our  junk  well  pre- 
pared for  breakfast.  The  hired  cook,  which  Luang 
Nai  Sit  had  the  goodness  to  provide  for  me,  had  my 
food  all  ready,  consisting  of  a  broiled  chicken,  salt 
and  fresh  eggs,  and  rice  with  tea.  Soot  Chin  Dah 
eats  by  himself,  sometimes  in  one  place  and  some- 
times in  another.  His  food  is  very  neatly  served  for 
him  in  a  circular  wooden  tray.  It  is  prepared  by  a 
Portuguese  cook,  and  served  by  his  inferior  brother. 
When  he  is  done  eating,  his  brother,  serang,  assist- 
ant serang,  and  cook  eat  of  the  remainder,  sitting 
on  the  deck.  They  use  neither  knife,  fork,  nor 
spoon,  their  fingers  serving  the  purposes  of  these  in- 
struments. The  helmsman  and  his  mate,  who  are 
masters  of  the  junk,  and  country-born  Portuguese, 
eat  by  themselves  in  the  style  of  the  Siamese.  The 


169 

crew  clan  together  in  eating  according  to  tlieir  name- 
less distinctions.  Their  main  dependence  is  rice  and 
fish.  The  former  they  eat  out  of  the  bark  of  a  plan- 
tain tree  rolled  np  at  the  sides  and  one  end  in  the 
shape  of  a  scoop  shovel,  or  out  of  a  most  filthy-look- 
ing basket  or  cocoanut  shell.  There  are  three  fe- 
males on  board  who  eat  in  the  hold,  where  they  re- 
main almost  constantly  from  morning  to  night.  In 
the  evening  they  come  out  to  enjoy  the  fresh  air, 
and  have  a  most  voluble  chat  with  the  men. 

"  About  noon  we  anchored  close  to  the  shore  of 
Sern  Poo  Chow,  which  is  an  abrupt  and  lofty  promon- 
tory. Here  three  wild  hogs  made  their  appearance. 
Having  looked  upon  us  a  few  minutes  they  disap- 
peared. It  seemed  wonderful  that  they  could  inhabit 
such  a  bluff,  for  a  misstep  would  plunge  them  into 
the  abyss  below. 

"On  the  evening  of  the  19th  our  captain  ordered 
the  anchor  to  be  dropped,  as  we  were  on  the  bar  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Meinam  River,  eight  or  ten  miles 
from  Paknam.  We  have  had  a  good  view  of  every 
mile  of  the  coast  along  which  we  have  passed  to-day, 
and  I  may  with  but  little  qualification  say  the  same 
of  all  the  coast  between  this  and  Chantaboun.  The 
coast  north  of  Bangplasoi  is  low,  without  so  much  as 
a  rock  or  hill  to  break  the  evenness  of  the  jungle. 
We  saw  distinctly  the  entrance  of  Bangpakong  River, 
its  mouth  appearing  as  large  as  that  of  the  Meinam. 
I  have  spent  much  of  this  day  in  finishing  charts  of 
Chantaboun  and  the  coast  from  thence  to  Paknam." 
12 


CHAPTER  XII. 

CHANTABOUN  AND  THE  GULP. 

SINCE  the  date  of  the  missionary  journey  recorded 
in  the  last  chapter  Chantaboun  has  become  a 
place  of  considerable  commercial  importance,  being 
now  the  second  port  in  the  kingdom,  noted  for  its 
ship-building  and  fisheries  and  carrying  on  an  active 
export  trade  from  Cambodia  and  the  south-eastern 
provinces.  The  government  regards  the  place  as  one 
of  its  chief  cities,  and  has  fortified  the  port  at  great 
expense.  The  prosperity  and  value  of  this  province 
have  improved  since  Mouhot's  time,  an  account  of 
whose  visit  there  will  afford  an  idea  of  its  physical 
features  and  life. 

M.  Mouhot,  it  should  be  explained  by  way  of  in- 
troduction, was  one  of  the  most  competent  and  gifted 
explorers  of  modern  times.  A  Frenchman  by  birth, 
he  became  allied  by  his  marriage  with  an  English- 
woman to  the  family  of  Mungo  Park,  the  famous 
African  explorer.  He  was  a  faithful  student  of  nat- 
ural science,  devoting  himself  especially  to  ornithol- 
ogy and  conchology.  While  still  a  young  man  he 
travelled  extensively  in  Russia,  and  there  learned  to 
speak  both  Russian  and  Polish.  He  was  a  good 
draughtsman  and  a  practical  photographer  of  large 
and  varied  experience ;  but  more  than  all  he  was  pos- 


CHANTABOUN  AND   THE  GULF  171 

sessed  of  an  adventurous  and  enthusiastic  spirit, 
which  welcomed  danger  when  it  came  in  the  pursuit 
of  scientific  data,  and  which,  together  with  his  great 
bodily  strength  and  physical  constitution,  especially 
fitted  him  for  the  life  of  an  explorer.  Mouhot's  own 
creed  was  Protestant,  but  he  was  a  man  of  such 
amiability  and  broad  sympathies  as  to  win  the  cordial 
affection  of  both  Protestant  and  Catholic  missionaries 
in  the  regions  where  he  travelled,  lie  was  a  man  of 

o 

devout  and  religious  heart,  and  almost  the  last  words 
of  his  journal,  written  while  he  was  dying  in  the 
jungles  of  Laos,  breathe  a  spirit  of  Christian  faith 
and  reliance  on  the  love  of  God.  His  loss  in  the 
prime  of  manhood  was  severely  felt  by  the  scientific 
world  as  well  as  by  those  who  were  bound  to  him  by 
ties  of  kinship  or  of  personal  acquaintance. 

The  following  are  Mouhot's  experiences  at  Chanta- 
boun  and  among  the  islands  of  the  gulf : 

"My  intention  now  was  to  visit  Cambodia,  but  for 
this  rny  little  river  boat  was  of  no  use.  The  only  way 
of  going  to  Chantaboun  was  by  embarking  in  one  of 
the  small  Chinese  junks  or  fishing  vessels,  which  I  ac- 
cordingly did  on  the  28th  of  December,  taking  with 
me  a  new  servant,  called  J^siou,  a  native  of  Annam, 
and  who,  having  been  brought  up  at  the  college  of 
the  Catholic  priests  at  Bangkok,  knew  French  well 
enough  to  be  very  useful  to  me  as  an  interpreter.  The 
boat  was  inconveniently  small,  and  we  were  far  from 
comfortable ;  for,  besides  myself  and  servant,  there 
were  on  board  two  men  and  two  children  about  thir- 
teen. I  was  much  pleased  with  the  picturesque  aspect 
of  all  the  little  islands  in  the  gulf ;  but  our  voyage 


172  SIAM 

was  far  longer  than  we  expected,  three  days  being  its 
usual  duration,  while,  owing  to  a  strong  head-wind,  it 
occupied  us  for  eight.  We  met  with  an  accident  which 
was  fatal  to  one  of  our  party,  and  might  have  been 
so  to  all  of  us.  On  the  night  of  the  31st  of  December 
our  boat  was  making  rapid  way  under  the  influence  of 
a  violent  wind.  I  was  seated  on  the  little  roof  of  leaves 
and  interlaced  bamboo  which  formed  a  sort  of  pro- 
tection to  me  against  the  rain  and  cold  night  air,  bid- 
ding adieu  to  the  departing  year,  and  welcoming  in 
the  new  ;  praying  that  it  might  be  a  fortunate  one 
for  me,  and,  above  all,  that  it  might  be  full  of  bless- 
ings for  all  those  dear  to  me.  The  night  was  dark  ; 
we  were  about  two  miles  from  land,  and  the  moun- 
tains loomed  black  in  the  distance.  The  sea  alone  was 
brilliant  with  that  phosphoric  light  so  familiar  to  all 
voyagers  on  the  deep.  For  a  couple  of  hours  we  had 
been  followed  by  two  sharks,  who  left  behind  them  a 
luminous  and  waving  track.  All  was  silent  in  our  boat ; 
nothing  was  to  be  heard  but  the  wind  whistling  among 
the  rigging  and  the  rushing  of  the  waves  :  and  I  felt 
at  that  midnight  hour — alone,  and  far  from  all  I  loved 
— a  sadness  which  I  vainly  tried  to  shake  off,  and  a 
disquietude  which  I  could  not  account  for.  Suddenly 
we  felt  a  violent  shock,  immediately  followed  by  a 
second,  and  then  the  vessel  remained  stationary. 
Every  one  cried  out  in  alarm  ;  the  sailors  rushed  for- 
ward ;  in  a  moment  the  sail  was  furled  and  torches 
lighted,  but,  sad  to  say,  one  of  our  number  did  not  an- 
swer to  his  name.  One  of  the  young  boys,  who  had 
been  asleep  on  deck,  had  been  thrown  into  the  sea  by 
the  shock.  Uselessly  we  looked  for  the  poor  lad. 


CHANTABOUN  AND   THE  GULF  173 

whose  body  doubtless  became  the  prey  of  the  sharks. 
Fortunately  for  us,  only  one  side  of  the  boat  had 
touched  the  rock,  and  it  had  then  run  aground  on  the 
sand ;  so  that  after  getting  it  off  we  were  able  to  an- 
chor not  far  from  the  shore. 

"On  the  3d  January,  1859,  after  having  crossed 
the  little  gulf  of  Chantaboun,  the  sea  being  at  the 
time  very  rough,  we  came  in  sight  of  the  famous 
Lion  Roek,  which  stands  out  like  the  extremity  of  a 
cape  at  the  entrance  of  this  port.  From  a  distance  it 
resembles  a  lion  couchant,  and  it  is  difficult  to  believe 
that  Nature  unassisted  has  formed  this  singular  colos- 
sus. The  Siamese — a  superstitious  race — hold  this 
stone  in  great  veneration,  as  they  do  everything  that 
appears  to  them  extraordinary  or  marvellous.  It  is 
said  that  the  captain  of  an  English  ship,  once  an- 
chored in  the  port,  seeing  the  lion,  proposed  to  buy 
it,  and  that,  on  the  governor  of  the  place  refusing  the 
offer,  he  pitilessly  fired  all  his  guns  at  the  poor  ani- 
mal. This  has  been  recorded  in  Siamese  verse,  with 
a  touching  complaint  against  the  cruelty  of  the  West- 
ern barbarians. 

"  On  the  4th  January,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  we  arrived  at  the  town  of  Chantaboun, 
which  stands  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  six  or  seven 
miles  from  the  mountain  range.  The  Christian  An- 
namites  form  nearly  a  third  of  the  population,  the 
remainder  being  composed  of  Chinese  merchants, 
and  some  heathen  Annamites  and  Siamese.  The 
Annamites  are  all  fishers,  who  originally  came  from 
Cochin-China  to  fish  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
Gulf  of  Siam,  and  settled  at  the  Chantabouu.  Every 


174  SI  AM 

day,  while  the  cold  weather  lasts,  and  the  sea  is  not 
too  rough,  they  cast  their  nets  in  the  little  bays  on 
the  coast,  or  in  the  sheltered  water  among  the  isl- 
ands. 

"  The  commerce  of  this  province  is  inconsiderable, 
compared  with  what  it  might  be  from  its  situation  ; 
but  the  numerous  taxes,  the  grinding  exactions  of 
the  chiefs,  and  the  usury  of  the  mandarins,  added 
to  the  hateful  system  of  slavery,  keep  the  bulk  of 
the  people  in  a  ruinous  state  of  prostration.  How- 
ever, in  spite  of  a  scanty  population,  they  manage 
to  export  to  Bangkok  a  great  quantity  of  pepper, 
chiefly  cultivated  by  the  Chinese  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains ;  a  little  sugar  and  coffee  of  superior 
quality  ;  mats  made  of  rushes,  which  meet  with  a 
ready  sale  in  China ;  tobacco,  great  quantities  of 
salted  and  dried  fish,  dried  leeches,  and  tortoise- 
shell.  Every  Siamese  subject,  on  attaining  a  cer- 
tain height,  has  to  pay  to  government  an  impost  or 
annual  tribute  equivalent  to  six  ticals-  (eighteen 
francs).  The  Annamites  of  Chantaboun  pay  this  in 
eagle-wood,  and  the  Siamese  in  gamboge ;  the  Chi- 
nese in  gum-lac,  every  four  years,  and  their  tribute 
amounts  to  four  ticals.  At  the  close  of  the  rainy 
season,  the  Annamite  Christians  unite  in  parties  of 
fifteen  or  twenty,  and  set  out  under  the  conduct  of 
an  experienced  man,  who  heads  the  expedition,  and 
indicates  to  the  others  the  trees  which  contain  the 
eagle-wood,  for  all  are  not  equally  skilled  in  dis- 
tinguishing those  which  produce  it.  A  degree  of  ex- 
perience is  requisite  for  this,  which  can  only  be  ac- 
quired by  time,  and  thus  much  useless  and  painful 


CHANTABOUN  AND   THE  GULF  175 

labor  is  avoided.  Some  remain  in  the  mountains, 
others  visit  the  large  islands  of  Ko-Xang  or  Ko-lvhut, 
situated  southeast  of  Chantaboun.  The  eagle-wood 
is  hard  and  speckled,  and  diffuses  a  powerful  aro- 
matic odor  when  burnt.  It  is  used  at  the  increma- 
tion of  the  bodies  of  princes  and  high  dignitaries, 
which  are  previously  kept  in  the  coffins  for  a  twelve- 
month. The  Siamese  also  employ  it  as  a  medicine. 
The  wood  of  the  tree  which  yields  it — the  Aquilara 
Agallocha  of  Roxburgh — is  white  and  very  soft ; 
arid  the  trunk  must  be  cut  down,  or  split  in  two,  to 
find  the  eagle-wood,  which  is  in  the  interior.  The 
Annamites  make  a  kind  of  secret  of  the  indications 
by  which  they  fix  upon  the  right  trees,  but  the  few 
instructions  given  me  put  me  on  the  right  track.  I 
had  several  cut  down,  and  the  result  of  my  observa- 
tions was,  that  this  substance  is  formed  in  the  cavi- 
ties of  the  trees,  and  that  as  they  grow  older  it  in- 
creases in  quantity.  Its  presence  may  be  pretty 
surely  ascertained  by  the  peculiar  odor  emitted,  and 
the  hollow  sound  given  out  on  striking  the  trunk. 

"  Most  of  the  Chinese  merchants  are  addicted  to 
gambling  and  to  the  use  of  opium  ;  but  the  An- 
namite  Christians  are  better  conducted.  The  nat- 
ure of  these  Annamites  is  very  different  from  that 
of  the  Siamese,  who  are  an  effeminate  and  indolent 
race,  but  liberal  and  hospitable,  simple-minded,  and 
without  pride.  The  Annamites  are  short  in  stature, 
and  thin,  lively,  and  active  ;  they  are  choleric  and 
vindictive,  and  extremely  proud  ;  even  among  re- 
lations there  is  continual  strife  and  jealousy.  The 
poor  and  the  wretched  meet  with  no  commiseration, 


176  SI  AM 

but  great  respect  is  accorded  to  wealth.  However, 
the  attachment  of  the  Christians  to  their  priests 
and  missionaries  is  very  great,  and  they  do  not  hesi- 
tate to  expose  themselves  to  any  dangers  in  their 
behalf.  I  must  likewise  own  that,  in  all  my  dealings 
with  the  pagan  Annamites,  whose  reverence  for  their 
ancestors  induces  them  to  hold  fast  their  idolatry,  I 
experienced  generosity  and  kindness  from  them,  both 
at  Chantaboun  and  in  the  islands. 

"The  missionaries  at  Bangkok  having  given  me 
a  letter  of  introduction  to  their  fellow-laborer  at 
Chantaboun,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  making  acquaint- 
ance with  the  wrorthy  man,  who  received  me  with 
great  cordiality,  and  placed  at  my  disposal  a  room 
in  his  modest  habitation.  The  good  father  has  re- 
sided for  more  than  twenty  years  at  Chantaboun, 
with  the  Annamites  whom  he  has  baptized,  content 
and  happy  amid  indigence  and  solitude.  I  found 
him,  on  my  arrival,  at  the  height  of  felicity  ;  a  new 
brick  chapel,  which  had  been  for  some  time  in  course 
of  construction,  and  the  funds  required  for  which  had 
been  saved  out  of  his  modest  income,  was  rapidly 
progressing,  and  promised  soon  to  replace  the  wooden 
building  in  which  he  then  officiated.  I  passed  six- 
teen days  very  agreeably  with  him,  sometimes  hunt- 
ing on  Mount  Sabab,  at  other  times  making  excur- 
sions on  the  rivers  and  canals.  The  country  greatly 
resembles  the  province  of  Pakpriau,  the  plain  being, 
perhaps,  still  more  desert  and  uncultivated  ;  but  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  in  some  of  the  delight- 
ful valleys,  pepper  is  grown  in  some  quantity  by  the 
Chinese. 


CHANTABOUN  AND   THE  GULF  177 

"  I  bought  for  twenty-five  ticals  a  small  boat  to 
enable  me  to  visit  the  isles  of  the  gulf.  The  first  I 
landed  at  was  named  Konam-sao  ;  it  is  in  the  form 
of  a  cone,  and  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  metres* 
in  height,  but  only  two  miles  in  circumference.  Like 
all  the  other  islands  in  this  part  of  the  gulf,  it  is  of 
volcanic  origin.  The  rocks  which  surround  it  make 
the  access  difficult ;  but  the  effect  produced  by  the  rich- 
ness and  bright  green  of  the  vegetation  is  charming. 
The  dry  season,  so  agreeable  for  European  travelling, 
from  the  freshness  of  the  nights  and  mornings,  is  in. 
Siam  a  time  of  stagnation  and  death  for  all  nature ; 
the  birds  fly  to  the  neighborhood  of  houses,  or  to  the 
banks  of  the  rivers,  which  furnish  them  with  nourish- 
ment ;  rarely  does  their  song  come  to  enchant  the 
listener  ;  and  the  fishing-eagle  alone  utters  his  hoarse 
and  piercing  cry  every  time  the  wind  changes.  Ants 
swarm  everywhere,  and  appear  to  be,  with  the  mos- 
quitoes and  crickets,  the  only  insects  that  have  es- 
caped destruction. 

"  Nowhere  did  I  find  in  these  islands  the  slightest 
trace  of  path  or  stream  ;  and  it  was  extremely  difficult 
to  advance  at  all  through  the  masses  of  wild  vines 
and  interwoven  branches.  I  was  forced  to  make  my 
way,  hatchet  in  hand,  and  returned  at  night  exhausted 
with  the  heat  and  fatigue. 

"  The  greater  portion  of  the  rocks  in  the  elevated 
parts  of  these  islands  is  elementary  and  preserves 
traces  of  their  ancient  deposit  beneath  the  waters. 
They  have,  however,  undergone  considerable  volcanic 
changes,  and  contain  a  number  of  veins  and  irregular 
*  A  metre  is  equivalent  to  3  feet  3J  inches. 


178  SI  AM 

deposits  of  the  class  known  as  contact  deposits,  that 
are  formed  near  the  junction  of  stratified  rocks  with 
intruded  igneous  masses. 

"  On  the  26th  we  set  sail  for  the  first  of  the  Ko- 
Man  Islands,  for  there  are  three,  situated  close  to- 
gether, bearing  this  name.  The  largest  is  only  twelve 
miles  from  the  coast.  Some  fishing-eagles,  a  few 
black  doves,  and  a  kind  of  white  pigeon  were  the 
only  winged  creatures  I  saw.  Iguanas  are  numerous, 
and  when  in  the  evening  they  come  out  of  their  re- 
treats, they  make  such  a  noise  in  walking  heavily 
over  the  dead  leaves  and  branches  that  one  might 
suppose  it  caused  by  animals  of  a  much  larger  size. 

"  Toward  evening,  the  tide  having  fallen,  I  allowed 
my  boat  to  ground  on  the  mud,  which  1  had  remarked 
during  the  day  to  be  like  a  peat-bog  impregnated 
with  volcanic  matter;  and  during  the  whole  night  so 
strong  a  sulphurous  odor  escaped  from  it  that  I  im- 
agined myself  to  be  over  a  submarine  volcano. 

"On  the  28th  we  passed  on  to  the  second  island, 
•which  is  higher  and  more  picturesque  than  the  other. 
The  rocks  which  surround  it  give  it  a  magnificent 
effect,  especially  in  a  bright  sunlight,  when  the  tide 
is  low.  The  isles  of  the  Patates  owe  their  name  to 
the  numerous  wild  tubers  found  there. 

"  I  passed  several  days  at  Cape  Liaut,  part  of  the 
time  being  occupied  in  exploring  the  many  adjacent 
islands.  It  is  the  most  exquisite  part  of  the  gulf, 
and  will  bear  comparison,  for  its  beauty,  with  the 
Strait  of  Sunda,  near  the  coast  of  Java.  Two  years 
ago,  when  the  king  visited  Chantaboun,  they  built 
for  him  on  the  shore,  at  the  extremity  of  the  cape,  a 


OHANTABOUN  AND   THE  GULF  179 

house  and  kiosk,  and,  in  memory  of  that  event,  they 
also  erected  on  the  top  of  the  mountain  a  small 
tower,  from  which  a  very  extensive  view  may  be 
enjoyed. 

"  I  also  made  acquaintance  with  Ko-Kram,  the 
most  beautiful  and  the  largest  of  all  the  islands  north 
of  the  gulf  between  Bangkok  and  Chantaboun.  The 
whole  island  consists  of  a  wooded  mountain-range, 
easy  of  access,  and  containing  much  oligist  iron.  On 
the  morning  of  the  29th,  at  sunrise,  the  breeze  lessen- 
ed, and  when  we  were  about  three  miles  from  the 
strait  which  separates  the  Isle  of  Arec  from  that  of 
the  '  Cerfs '  it  ceased  altogether.  For  the  last  half 
hour  we  were  indebted  solely  to  our  oars  for  the  little 
progress  made,  being  exposed  to  all  the  glare  of  a 
burning  sun  ;  and  the  atmosphere  was  heavy  and  suf- 
focating. All  of  a  sudden,  to  my  great  astonishment, 
the  water  began  to  be  agitated,  and  our  light  boat 
was  tossed  about  by  the  waves.  I  knew  not  what  to 
think,  and  was  seriously  alarmed,  when  our  pilot 
called  out,  '  Look  how  the  sea  boils ! '  Turning  in 
the  direction  indicated,  I  beheld  the  sea  really  in  a 
state  of  ebullition,  and  very  shortly  afterward  an  im- 
mense jet  of  water  and  steam,  which  lasted  for  several 
minutes,  was  thrown  into  the  air.  I  had  never  before 
witnessed  such  a  phenomenon,  and  was  now  no  longer 
astonished  at  the  powerful  smell  of  sulphur  which 
had  nearly  overpowered  me  in  Ivo-Man.  It  was 
really  a  submarine  volcano,  which  burst  out,  more 
than  a  mile  from  the  place  where  we  had  anchored 
three  days  before. 

"  On  March  1st  we  reached  Yen-Yen,  at   Pack- 


180  SI  AM 

•nam-Ven,  the  name  of  the  place  where  the  brandies 
of  the  river  unite.  This  river,  whose  width  at  the 
mouth  is  above  three  miles,  is  formed  by  the  union 
of  several  streams  flowing  from  the  mountains,  as 
well  as  by  an  auxiliary  of  the  Chantaboun  River, 
which,  serving  as  a  canal,  unites  these  two  places. 
Ascending  the  stream  for  fourteen  or  fifteen  miles, 
a  large  village  is  reached,  called  Bandiana,  but  Pak- 
nam-Yen  is  only  inhabited  by  five  families  of  Chinese 
fishermen. 

"  Crocodiles  are  more  numerous  in  the  river  at 
Paknam-Yen  than  in  that  at  Chantaboun.  I  contin- 
ually saw  them  throw  themselves  from  the  banks  into 
the  water;  and  it  has  frequently  happened  that  care- 
less fishers,  or  persons  who  have  imprudently  fallen 
asleep  on  the  shore,  have  become  their  prey,  or  have 
afterward  died  of  the  wounds  inflicted  by  them. 
This  latter  has  happened  twice  during  my  stay  here. 
It  is  amusing,  however — for  one  is  interested  in  ob- 
serving the  habits  of  animals  all  over  the  world — to 
see  the  manner  in  which  these  creatures  catch  the 
apes,  which  sometimes  take  a  fancy  to  play  with 
them.  Close  to  the  bank  lies  the  crocodile,  his  body 
in  the  water,  and  only  his  capacious  mouth  above  the 
surface,  ready  to  seize  anything  that  may  come  with- 
in reach.  A  troop  of  apes  catch  sight  of  him,  seem 
to  consult  together,  approach  little  by  little,  and  com- 
mence their  frolics,  by  turns  actors  and  spectators. 
One  of  the  most  active  or  most  impudent  jumps  from 
branch  to  branch,  till  within  a  respectful  distance  of 
the  crocodile,  when,  hanging  by  one  claw,  and  with 
the  dexterity  peculiar  to  these  animal?,  he  advances 


MONKEYS    PLAYING   WITH    A   CROCODILE. 


CHANTABOUN  AND   THE  GULF  181 

and  retires,  now  giving  his  enemy  a  blow  with  his 
paw,  at  another  time  only  pretending  to  do  so.  The 
other  apes,  enjoying  the  fun,  evidently  wish  to  take 
a  part  in  it ;  but  the  other  branches  being  too  high, 
they  form  a  sort  of  chain  by  laying  hold  of  each 
other's  paws,  and  thus  swing  backward  and  forward, 
while  any  one  of  them  who  comes  within  reach  of 
the  crocodile  torments  him  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 
Sometimes  the  terrible  jaws  suddenly  close,  but  not 
upon  the  audacious  ape,  who  just  escapes  ;  then  there 
are  cries  of  exultation  from  the  tormentors,  who 
gambol  about  joyfully.  Occasionally,  however,  the 
claw  is  entrapped,  and  the  victim  dragged  with  the  ra- 
pidity of  lightning  beneath  the  water,  when  the  whole 
troop  disperse,  groaning  and  shrieking.  The  misad- 
venture does  not,  however,  prevent  their  recommenc- 
ing the  game  a  few  days  afterward. 

"  On  the  4th  I  returned  to  Chantaboun  from  my 
excursions  in  the  gulf,  and  resumed  charge  of  my  col- 
lections, which,  during  my  absence,  I  had  left  at  the 
custom-house,  and  which,  to  my  great  satisfaction, 
had  been  taken  good  care  of.  The  tide  was  low,  and 
we  could  not  go  up  to  the  town.  The  sea  here  is 
steadily  receding  from  the  coast,  and,  if  some  rem- 
edy be  not  found,  in  a  few  years  the  river  will  not 
be  navigable  even  for  boats.  Already  the  junks  have 
some  trouble  in  reaching  Chantaboun  even  at  high 
water.  The  inhabitants  were  fisliing  for  crabs  and 
mussels  on  the  sand-banks,  close  to  the  custom-house, 
the  employes  in  which  were  occupied  in  the  same 
pursuit.  The  chief  official,  who,  probably  hoping 
for  some  small  present,  had  come  out  to  meet  me, 


182  81  AM 

heard  me  promise  a  supply  of  pins  and  needles  to 
those  who  would  bring  me  shells,  and  encouraged  his 
men  to  look  for  them.  In  consequence,  a  large  num- 
ber were  brought  me,  which,  to  obtain  otherwise, 
would  have  cost  much  time  and  trouble. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MOUHOT  IN  THE  HILL  COUNTRY  OF  CHANTABOUN. 

"  T  T  ERE  I  am,"  continues  Monhot,  in  his  narrative, 
1  1  "  once  more  installed  in  the  house  of  a  good 
old  Chinese,  a  pepper-planter,  whose  hospitality  I  en- 
joyed on  my  first  visit  to  the  place,  two  months  ago. 
His  name  is  Ihie-llow,  but  in  Siamese  lie  is  called 
Apait,  which  means  uncle.  He  is  a  widower,  with 
two  sons,  the  eldest  eighteen,  a  good  young  man, 
lively,  hard-working,  brave,  and  persevering.  lie  is 
already  much  attached  to  me,  and  is  desirous  of  ac- 
companying me  to  Cambodia.  Born  amid  the  moun- 
tains, and  naturally  intelligent,  there  are  none  of  the 
quadrupeds  and  few  of  the  feathered  tribes  found  in 
the  district  with  whose  habits  he  is  not  familiar.  He 
fears  neither  tiger  nor  elephant.  All  this,  added  to 
his  amiable  disposition,  made  Phrai  (that  is  his  name) 
a  real  treasure  to  me. 

"  Apait  has  also  two  brothers  who  have  become 
Catholics,  and  have  settled  atChantaboun  in  order  to 
be  near  a  Christian  place  of  worship.  He  himself 
lias  never  had  any  desire  to  change  his  religion,  be- 
cause he  says  if  he  did  he  must  forget  his  deceased 
parents,  for  whom  he  frequently  offers  sacrifices. 
He  is  badly  off,  having  incurred  a  debt  of  fifty  ticals, 


184:  SIAM 

for  which  he  has  to  pay  ten  as  yearly  interest,  the 
rate  in  Siam  being  always  twenty  or  thirty  per  cent. 
Besides  this  he  has  various  taxes  to  pay — twelve 
ticals  for  his  two  sons,  four  for  his  house,  one  for  his 
furnace,  one  for  his  pig.  The  tax  on  the  pepper-field 
is  eight  ticals,  one  on  his  areca-trees,  one  on  the  betel 
cultivated  by  him,  and  two  sellungs  for  a  cocoa-tree  ; 
altogether  thirty-nine  ticals.  His  land  brines  him 

o  i/  o 

in  forty  after  all  expenses  are  paid  ;  what  can  he  do 
with  the  one  remaining  tical  ?  The  unlucky  agricult- 
urists of  this  kind,  and  they  are  many,  live  on  vege- 
tables, and  on  the  rice  which  they  obtain  from  the 
Siamese  in  exchange  for  areca. 

o 

"  On  my  return  from  the  islands,  I  had  been  de- 
tained nearly  ten  days  at  Chantaboun,  unable  to 
walk ;  I  had  cut  my  heel  in  climbing  the  rocks  on 
the  shore  at  Ko-Man,  and,  as  I  was  constantly  bare- 
footed in  the  salt  water,  the  wound  soon  closed. 
But  afterward  I  began  to  suffer  from  it ;  my  foot 
swelled,  and  I  was  obliged  to  reopen  the  wound  to 
extract  a  piece  of  shell  which  had  remained  in  it. 
As  soon  as  I  could  leave  Chantaboun  I  hired  a  car- 
riage and  two  buffaloes  to  take  me  to  the  moun- 
tain. I  experienced  much  gratification  in  finding 
myself  again  among  these  quiet  scenes,  at  once  so 
lovely  and  so  full  of  grandeur.  Here  are  valleys  in- 
tersected by  streams  of  pure  and  limpid  water ; 
there,  small  plains,  over  which  are  scattered  the 
modest  dwellings  of  the  laborious  Chinese  :  M7hile  a 

o  f 

little  in  the  distance  rises  the  mountain,  with  its 
imposing  rocks,  its  grand  trees,  its  torrents,  and 
waterfalls. 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  185 

"  We  have  already  had  some  storms,  for  the  rainy 
season  is  approaching,  vegetation  is  fresh,  and  nat- 
ure animated ;  the  song  of  birds  and  the  hum  of 
insects  are  heard  all  around.  Apait  has  resigned  to 
me  his  bed,  if  that  can  be  so  styled,  which  consists 
merely  of  a  few  laths  of  areca  placed  upon  four 
stakes.  1  have  extended  rny  mat  upon  this  frame- 
work, and  should  enjoy  uninterrupted  sleep  all  night 
were  it  not  for  the  swarms  of  ants  which  frequently 
disturb  me  by  passing  over  my  body,  getting  under 
my  clothes  and  into  my  beard,  and,  I  almost  fancy, 
would  end  by  dragging  me  out  if  I  did  not  from 
time  to  time  shake  them  off.  Occasionally  great 
spiders  and  other  disgusting  creatures,  crawling 
about  under  the  roof,  would  startle  me  by  dropping 
suddenly  on  my  face. 

"  The  heat  now  is  quite  endurable,  the  thermom- 
eter generally  marking  80°  Fahr.  in  the  morning  and 
90°  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  The  water  of  the 
streams  is  so  cool  and  refreshing  that  a  good  morn- 
ing and  evening  ablution  makes  me  comfortable  for 
several  hours,  as  well  as  contributing  to  keep  me  in 
health. 

"  Last  evening  Phrai,  having  gone  along  with  my 
man  Fiou  to  Chantabouri  to  buy  provisions,  brought 
back  to  his  father  some  Chinese  bonbons,  for  which 
he  had  paid  half  a  fuang.  The  poor  old  man  was 
delighted  with  them,  and  this  morning  at  daybreak 
he  dressed  himself  in  his  best  clothes,  on  which  I 
asked  him  what  w*as  going  to  happen.  He  imme- 
diately began  to  clean  a  plank  which  was  fitted  into 
the  wall  to  serve  as  a  sort  of  table  or  altar.  Above 
13 


186  81  A  M 

this  was  a  drawing  of  a  man  dancing  and  putting 
out  his  tongue,  with  claws  on  his  feet  and  hands,  and 
with  the  tail  of  an  ape,  intended  to  represent  his 
father.  He  then  filled  three  small  cups  with  tea, 
put  the  bonbons  in  a  fourth,  and  placed  the  whole 
upon  the  simple  altar ;  finally,  lighting  two  pieces 
of  odoriferous  wood,  he  began  his  devotions.  It  was 
a  sacrifice  to  the  manes  of  his  parents,  performed 
with  the  hope  that  their  souls  would  come  and  taste 
the  good  things  set  before  them. 

"  At  the  entrance  of  Apait's  garden,  in  front  of  his 
house,  I  had  made  a  kind  of  shed  with  stakes  and 
branches  of  trees,  covered  with  a  roof  of  leaves, 
where  I  dried  and  prepared  my  large  specimens,  such 
as  the  long-armed  apes,  kids,  and  hornbills,  as  also 
my  collections  of  insects.  All  this  has  attracted  a 
crowd  of  inquisitive  Siamese  and  Chinamen,  who  came 
to  see  the  "  farang  "  and  admire  his  curiosities.  We 
have  just  passed  the  Chinese  Xew  Year's-day,  and, 
as  there  has  been  a  fete  for  three  days,  all  those  living 
at  any  distance  have  profited  by  the  opportunity  to 
visit  us.  At  times  Apait's  house  and  garden  have 
been  crowded  with  people  in  their  holiday  dresses, 
many  of  whom,  seeing  my  instruments,  my  natu- 
ralist's case,  and  different  preparations,  took  me  for 
a  great  doctor,  and  begged  for  medicines. 

"  Alas !  my  pretensions  are  not  so  high  ;  however, 
I  treat  them  on  the  'Raspail'  system;  and  a  little 
box  of  pomade  or  phial  of  sedative  water  will  perhaps 
be  represented  in  some  European  museum  by  an  in- 
sect or  shell  brought  to  me  by  these  worthy  people  in 
return  for  the  good  I  would  gladly  do  them. 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  187 

"  It  is  very  agreeable,  after  a  fatiguing  day's  chase 
over  hills  and  amongst  dense  forests,  through  which 
one  must  cut  one's  way,  axe  in  hand,  to  repose  in  the 
evening  on  the  good  Chinaman's  bench  in  front  of  his 
house,  shaded  by  banana,  cocoanut,  and  other  trees. 
For  the  last  four  days  a  violent  north  wind,  fresh  in 
spite  of  the  season,  has  been  blowing  without  inter- 
mission, breaking  asunder  and  tearing  up  by  the  roots 
some  of  the  trees  on  the  higher  grounds.  This  is  its 
farewell  visit,  for  the  southeast  wind  will  now  blow 
for  many  months. 

"  This  evening  everything  appeared  to  me  more 
beautiful  and  agreeable  than  usual ;  the  stars  shone 
brightly  in  the  sky,  the  moon  was  clear.  Sitting  by 
Apait  while  his  son  played  to  me  some  Chinese  airs 
on  the  bamboo  flute,  I  thought  to  what  a  height  of 
prosperity  this  province,  even  now  one  of  the  most 
interesting  and  flourishing  in  the  country,  might  at- 
tain, were  it  wisely  arid  intelligently  governed,  or  if 
European  colonists  were  to  settle  and  develop  its  re- 
sources. Proximity  to  the  sea,  facility  of  communi- 
cation, a  rich  soil,  a  healthy  and  propitious  climate ; 
nothing  is  wanted  to  ensure  success  to  an  industrious 
and  enterprising  agriculturist. 

"  The  worthy  old  Apait  has  at  last  consented  to  al- 
low his  son  to  enter  my  service,  providing  I  pay  him 
thirty  ticals,  half  a  year's  wages,  in  advance.  This 
will  enable  him,  if  he  can  sell  his  house  and  pepper- 
field,  to  clear  off  his  debt  and  retire  to  another  part 
of  the  mountain.  Phrai  is  delighted  to  attend  me, 
and  to  run  about  the  woods  all  day,  and  I  am  not  less 
pleased  with  our  bargain,  for  his  knowledge  of  the 


188  81  AM 

country,  his  activity,  his  intelligence,  and  attachment 
to  me,  are  invaluable. 

"  The  heat  becomes  greater  and  greater,  the  ther- 
mometer having  risen  to  102°  Fahr.  in  the  shade  : 
thus  hunting  is  now  a  painful,  and  sometimes  im- 
possible, exertion,  anywhere  except  in  the  woods. 
A  few  days  ago  I  took  advantage  of  a  short  spell  of 
cloudy  and  consequently  cooler  weather  to  visit  a 
waterfall  I  had  heard  of  in  the  almost  desert  district 
of  Prion,  twelve  miles  from  Kombau.  After  reach- 
ing the  last-named  place  our  course  lay  for  about 
an  hour  and  a  half  along  a  charming  valley,  nearly 
as  smooth  as  a  lawn  and  as  ornamental  as  a  park. 
By  and  by,  entering  a  forest,  we  kept  by  the  banks 
of  a  stream,  which,  shut  in  between  two  mountains, 
and  studded  with  blocks  of  granite,  increases  in  size 
as  you  approach  its  source.  Before  long  we  arrived 
at  the  fall,  which  must  be  a  fine  spectacle  in  the 
rainy  season.  It  then  pours  down  from  immense 
perpendicular  rocks,  forming,  as  it  were,  a  circular 
peaked  wall,  nearlj7  thirty  metres  in  diameter  and 
twenty  metres  in  height.  The  force  of  the  torrent 
having  been  broken  by  the  rocky  bed  into  which  it 
descends,  there  is  another  fall  of  ten  feet ;  and  lower 
down,  after  a  third  fall  of  fifteen  feet,  it  passes  into 
an  ample  basin,  which,  like  a  mirror,  reflects  the 
trees  and  cliffs  around.  Even  during  the  dry  season, 
the  spring,  then  running  from  beneath  enormous 
blocks  of  granite,  flows  in  such  abundance  as  to  feed 
several  streams. 

"  I  was  astonished  to  see  my  two  servants,  heated 
by  their  long  walk,  bathe  in  the  cold  water,  and  on 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  189 

my  advising  them  to  wait  for  a  little,  they  replied 
that  the  natives  were  always  accustomed  to  bathe 
when  hot. 

"  We  all  turned  stone-cutters,  that  is  to  say,  we 
set  to  work  to  detach  the  impression  of  an  unknown 
animal  from  the  surface  of  an  immense  mass  of 
granite  rising  up  out  of  one  of  the  mountain  tor- 
rents. A  Chinese  had  in  January  demanded  so  ex- 
orbitant a  sum  for  this  that  I  had  abandoned  the 
idea,  intending  to  content  myself  with  an  impression 
in  wax,  but  Phrai  proposed  to  me  to  undertake  the 
work,  and  by  our  joint  labor  it  was  soon  accom- 
plished. The  Siamese  do  not  much  like  my  med- 
dling with  their  rocks,  and  their  superstition  is  also 
somewhat  startled  when  I  happen  to  kill  a  white 
ape,  although  when  the  animal  is  dead  and  skinned 
they  are  glad  to  obtain  a  cutlet  or  steak  from  it,  for 
they  attribute  to  the  flesh  of  this  creature  great  me- 
dicinal virtues. 

"  The  rainy  season  is  drawing  near ;  storms  be- 
come more  and  more  frequent,  and  the  growling  of 
the  thunder  is  frightful.  Insects  are  in  greater 
numbers,  and  the  ants,  which  are  now  looking  out 
for  a  shelter,  invade  the  dwellings,  and  are  a  per- 
fect pest  to  my  collections,  not  to  speak  of  myself 
and  my  clothes.  Several  of  my  books  and  maps 
have  been  almost  devoured  in  one  night.  Fortu- 
nately there  are  no  mosquitoes,  but  to  make  up  for 
this  there  is  a  small  species  of  leech,  which,  when  it 
rains,  quits  the  streams  and  infests  the  woods,  ren- 
dering an  excursion  there,  if  not  impracticable,  at  all 
events  very  disagreeable.  You  have  constantly  to  be 


190  SIAM 

pulling  them  off  you  by  dozens,  but,  as  some  always 
escape  observation,  you  are  sure  to  return  home 
covered  with  blood ;  often  my  white  trousers  are 
dyed  as  red  as  those  of  a  French  soldier. 

"  The  animals  have  now  become  scarcer,  which  in 
different  ways  is  a  great  disappointment  to  all,  for 
Phrai  and  Isiou  feasted  sumptuously  on  the  flesh  of 
the  apes,  and  made  a  profit  by  selling  their  gall  to  the 
Chinese  doctors  in  Chantaboun.  Hornbills  have  also 
turned  wild,  so  we  can  find  nothing  to  replenish  our 
larder  but  an  occasional  kid.  Large  stags  feed  on  the 
mountain,  but  one  requires  to  watch  all  night  to  get 
within  range  of  them.  There  are  not  many  birds 
to  be  seen,  neither  quail,  partridges,  nor  pheasants ; 
and  the  few  wild  fowl  which  occasionally  make  their 
appearance  are  so  difficult  to  shoot  that  it  is  waste 
both  of  time  and  ammunition  to  make  the  attempt. 

"  In  this  part  of  the  country  the  Siamese  declare 
they  cannot  cultivate  bananas  on  account  of  the  ele- 
phants, which  at  certain  times  come  down  from  the 
mountains  and  devour  the  leaves,  of  which  they  are 
very  fond.  The  royal  and  other  tigers  abound  here  ; 
every  night  they  prowl  about  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
houses,  and  in  the  mornings  we  can  see  the  print  of 
their  large  claws  in  the  sand  and  in  the  clay  near 
streams.  By  day  they  retire  to  the  mountain,  where 
they  lurk  in  close  and  inaccessible  thickets.  Kow  and 
then  you  may  get  near  enough  to  one  to  have  a  shot 
at  him,  but  generally,  unless  suffering  from  hunger, 
they  fly  at  the  approach  of  man.  A  few  days  ago  I 
saw  a  young  Chinese  who  had  nineteen  wounds  on  his 
body,  made  by  one  of  these  animals.  He  was  looking 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  191 

out  from  a  tree  about  nine  feet  high  when  the  cries  of 
a  young  kid  tied  to  another  tree  at  a  short  distance,  at- 
tracted a  large  tiger.  The  young  man  fired  at  it,  but, 
though  mortally  wounded,  the  creature,  collecting  all 
his  strength  for  a  final  spring,  leaped  on  his  enemy, 
seized  him  and  pulled  him  down,  tearing  his  flesh 
frightfully  with  teeth  and  claws  as  they  rolled  on  the 
ground.  Luckily  for  the  unfortunate  Chinese,  it  was 
a  dying  effort,  and  in  a  few  moments  more  the  tiger 
relaxed  its  hold  and  breathed  its  last. 

"  In  the  mountains  of  Chantaboun,  and  not  far 
from  my  present  abode,  precious  stones  of  fine  water 
occur.  There  is  even  at  the  east  of  the  town  an  emi- 
nence, which  they  call  '  the  mountain  of  precious 
stones ; '  and  it  would  appear  from  the  account  of 
Mgr.  Pallegoix  that  at  one  time  they  were  abundant 
in  that  locality,  since  in  about  half  an  hour  he  picked 
up  a  handful,  which  is  as  much  as  now  can  be  found 
in  a  twelvemonth,  nor  can  they  be  purchased  at  any 
price. 

"  It  seems  that  I  have  seriously  offended  the  poor 
Thai*  of  Kombau  by  carryiiig  away  the  footprints.  I 
have  met  several  natives  who  tell  me  they  have  bro- 
ken arms,  that  they  can  no  longer  work,  and  will  al- 
ways henceforth  be  in  poverty  ;  and  I  find  that  I  am 
considered  to  be  answerable  for  this  because  I  irri- 
tated the  genius  of  the  mountain.  Henceforth  they 
will  have  a  good  excuse  for  idleness. 

"  The  Chinese  have  equally   amused   me.     They 
imagine  that  some  treasure  ought  to  be  found  be- 
neath the  footprints,  and  that  the  block  which  I  have 
*  The  Siamese  call  themselves  Thai. 


192  81  AM 

carried  away  must  possess  great  medicinal  virtues ; 
so  Apait  and  his  friends  have  been  rubbing  the  under 
part  of  the  stone  every  morning  against  another  piece 
of  granite,  and,  collecting  carefully  the  dust  that  fell 
from  it,  have  mixed  it  with  water  and  drunk  it  fast- 
ing, fully  persuaded  that  it  is  a  remedy  against  all 
ills.  Here  they  say  that  it  is  faith  which  cures  ;  and 
it  is  certain  that  pills  are  often  enough  administered 
in  the  civilized  West  which  have  no  more  virtue  than 
the  granite  powder  swallowed  by  old  Apait. 

"His  uncle  Thie-ou  has  disposed  of  his  property 
for  him  for  sixty  ticals,  so  that,  after  paying  off  his 
debts,  he  will  have  left,  including  the  sum  I  gave  him 
for  his  son's  services,  forty  ticals.  Here  that  is  enough 
to  make  a  man  think  himself  rich  to  the  end  of  his 
days  ;  he  can  at  times  regale  the  souls  of  his  parents 
with  tea  and  bonbons,  and  live  himself  like  a  true 
country  mandarin.  Before  leaving  Kombau  the  old 
man  secured  me  another  lodging,  for  which  I  had  to 
pay  two  ticals  (six  francs)  a  month,  and  I  lost  noth- 
ing in  point  of  comfort  by  the  change.  For  '  fur- 
nished apartments '  I  think  the  charge  not  unreason- 
able. The  list  of  furniture  is  as  follows  :  in  the 
dining-room  nothing,  in  the  bedroom  an  old  mat  on 
a  camp-bed.  However,  this  house  is  cleaner  and 
larger  than  the  other,  and  better  protected  from  the 
weather ;  in  the  first  the  water  came  in  in  all  direc- 
tions. Then  the  camp-bed,  which  is  a  large  one,  af- 
fords a  pleasant  lounge  after  my  hunting  expeditions. 
Besides  which  advantages  my  new  landlord  furnishes 
me  with  bananas  and  vegetables,  for  which  I  pay  in 
game  when  the  chase  has  been  successful. 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  193 

"  The  fruit  here  is  exquisite,  particularly  the  man- 
go, the  mangosteen,  the  pineapple,  so  fragrant  and 
melting  in  the  mouth,  and,  what  is  superior  to  any- 
thing I  ever  imagined  or  tasted,  the  famous  '  dnrian  ' 
or  '  dourion,'  which  justly  merits  the  title  of  king  of 
fruits.  But  to  enjoy  it  thoroughly  one  must  have 
time  to  overcome  the  disgust  at  first  inspired  by  its 
smell,  which  is  so  strong  that  I  could  not  stay  in  the 
same  place  with  it.  On  first  tasting  it  I  thought  it 
like  the  flesh  of  some  animal  in  a  state  of  putrefac- 
tion, but  after  four  or  five  trials  I  found  the  aroma 
exquisite.  The  durian  is  about  two-thirds  the  size 
of  a  jacca,  and  like  it  is  encased  in  a  thick  and  prickly 
rind,  which  protects  it  from  the  teeth  of  squirrels  and 
other  nibblers  ;  on  opening  it  there  are  to  be  found 
ten  cells,  each  containing  a  kernel  larger  than  a  date, 
and  surrounded  by  a  sort  of  white,  or  sometimes  yel- 
lowish, cream,  which  is  most  delicious.  By  an  odd 
freak  of  nature,  not  only  is  there  the  first  repugnance 
to  it  to  overcome,  but  if  you  eat  it  often,  though  with 
ever  so  great  moderation,  you  find  yourself  next  day 
covered  with  blotches,  as  if  attacked  with  measles,  so 
heating  is  its  nature.  A  durian  picked  is  never  good, 
for  when  fully  ripe  it  falls  off  itself  ;  when  cut  open 
it  must  be  eaten  at  once,  as  it  quickly  spoils,  but 
otherwise  it  will  keep  for  three  days.  At  Bangkok 
one  of  them  costs  one  sellung  /  at  Chantaboun  nine 
may  be  obtained  for  the  same  sum. 

"  I  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  there  was 
little  danger  in  traversing  the  woods  here,  and  in  our 
search  for  butterflies  and  other  insects,  we  often  took 
no  other  arms  than  a  hatchet  and  hunting-knife, 


194  SI  AM 

while  Xiou  had  become  so  confident  as  to  go  by  night 
with  Phrai  to  lie  in  wait  for  stags.  Our  sense  of  se- 
curity was,  however,  rudely  shaken  when  one  evening 
a  panther  rushed  upon  one  of  the  dogs  close  to  iuy 
door.  The  poor  animal  uttered  a  heart-rending  cry, 
which  brought  us  all  out,  as  well  as  our  neighbors, 
each  torch  in  hand.  Finding  themselves  face  to  face 
with  a  panther,  they  in  their  turn  raised  their  voices 
in  loud  screams ;  but  it  was  too  late  for  me  to  get  my 
gun,  for  in  a  moment  the  beast  was  out  of  reach. 

"  In  a  few  weeks  I  must  say  farewell  to  these 
beautiful  mountains,  never,  in  all  probability,  to  see 
them  again,  and  I  think  of  this  with  regret ;  I  have 
been  so  happy  here,  and  have  so  much  enjoyed  my 
hunting  and  my  solitary  walks  in  this  comparatively 
temperate  climate,  after  my  sufferings  from  the  heat 
and  mosquitoes  in  my  journey  northward. 

"  Thanks  to  my  nearness  to  the  sea  on  the  one  side, 
and  to  the  mountain  region  on  the  other,  the  period 
of  the  greatest  heat  passed  away  without  my  perceiv- 
ing it ;  and  I  was  much  surprised  at  receiving  a  few 
days  ago  a  letter  from  Bangkok  which  stated  that  it 
had  been  hotter  weather  there  than  had  been  known 
for  more  than  thirty  years.  Many  of  the  European 
residents  had  been  ill ;  yet  I  do  not  think  the  climate 
of  Bangkok  more  unhealthy  than  that  of  other  towns 
of  eastern  Asia  within  the  tropics.  But  no  doubt  the 
want  of  exercise,  which  is  there  almost  impossible, 
induces  illness  in  many  cases. 

"A  few  days  ago  I  made  up  my  mind  to  penetrate 
into  a  grotto  on  Mount  Sabab,  half-way  between 
Chautaboun  and  Ivumbau,  so  deep,  I  am  told,  that  it 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  195 

extends  to  the  top  of  the  mountain.  I  set  out,  ac- 
companied by  Phrai  and  Niou,  furnished  with  all 
that  was  necessary  for  our  excursion.  On  reaching 
the  grotto  we  lighted  our  torches,  and,  after  seal- 

O  O  99 

ing  a  number  of  blocks  of  granite,  began  our  march. 
Thousands  of  bats,  roused  by  the  lights,  commenced 
flying  round  and  round  us,  flapping  our  faces  with 
their  wings,  and  extinguishing  our  torches  every  min- 
ute. Phrai  walked  first,  trying  the  ground  with  a 
lance  which  he  held ;  but  we  had  scarcely  proceeded 
a  hundred  paces  when  he  threw  himself  back  upon  me 
with  every  mark  of  terror,  crying  out,  '  A  serpent ! 
go  back  ! '  As  he  spoke  I  perceived  an  enormous  boa 
about  fifteen  feet  off,  with  erect  head  and  open 
mouth,  ready  to  dart  upon  him  My  guji  being 
loaded,  one  barrel  with  two  bullets,  the  other  with 
shot,  I  took  aim  and  fired  off  both  at  once.  We  were 
immediately  enveloped  in  a  thick  cloud  of  smoke,  and 
could  see  nothing,  but  prudently  beat  an  instant  re- 
treat. We  waited  anxiously  for  some  time  at  the 
entrance  of  the  grotto,  prepared  to  do  battle  with  our 
enemy  should  he  present  himself ;  but  he  did  not 
appear.  My  guide  now  boldly  lighted  a  torch,  and, 
furnished  with  my  gun  reloaded  and  a  long  rope, 
went  in  again  alone.  We  held  one  end  of  the  rope, 
that  at  the  least  signal  we  might  fly  to  his  assistance. 
For  some  minutes,  which  appeared  terribly  long,  our 
anxiety  was  extreme,  but  equally  great  was  our  relief 
and  gratification  when  we  saw  him  approach,  draw- 
ing after  him  the  rope,  to  which  was  attached  an 
immense  boa.  The  head  of  the  reptile  had  been 
shattered  by  my  fire,  and  his  death  had  been  instan- 


196  8IAM 

taneous,  but  we  sought  to  penetrate  no  farther  into 
the  grotto. 

"  I  had  been  told  that  the  Siamese  were  about  to 
celebrate  a  grand  fete  at  a  pagoda  about  three  miles 
off,  in  honor  of  a  superior  priest  who  died  last  year, 
and  whose  remains  were  now  to  be  burned  according 
to  the  custom  of  the  country.  I  went  to  see  this  sin- 
gular ceremony,  hoping  to  gain  some  information  re- 
specting the  amusements  of  this  people,  and  arrived 
at  the  place  about  eight  in  the  morning,  the  time  for 
breakfast,  or  '  kinkao '  (rice-eating).  ^Nearly  two 
thousand  Siamese  of  both  sexes  from  Chantaboim 
and  the  surrounding  villages,  some  in  carriages  and 
some  on  foot,  were  scattered  over  the  ground  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  pagoda.  All  wore  new  sashes 
and  dresses  of  brilliant  colors,  and  the  effect  of  the 
various  motley  groups  was  most  striking. 

"Under  a  vast  roof  of  planks  supported  by  col- 
umns, forming  a  kind  of  shed,  bordered  by  pieces  of 
stuff  covered  with  grotesque  paintings  representing 
men  and  animals  in  the  most  extraordinary  attitudes, 
was  constructed  an  imitation  rock  of  colored  paste- 
board, on  which  was  placed  a  catafalque  lavishly 
decorated  with  gilding  and  carved  work,  and  contain- 
ing an  urn  in  which  were  the  precious  remains  of  the 
priest.  Here  and  there  were  arranged  pieces  of 
paper  and  stuff  in  the  form  of  flags.  Outside  the 
building  was  prepared  the  funeral  pile,  and  at  some  dis- 
tance off  a  platform  was  erected  for  the  accommodation 
of  a  band  of  musicians,  who  played  upon  different  in- 
struments of  the  country.  Farther  away  some  wom- 
en had  established  a  market  for  the  sale  of  fruit, 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  197 

bonbons,  and  arrack,  while  in  another  quarter  some 
Chinamen  and  Siamese  were  performing,  in  a  little 
theatre  run  up  for  the  occasion,  scenes  something  in 
the  style  of  those  exhibited  by  our  strolling  actors  at 
fairs.  This  fete,  which  lasted  for  three  days,  had 
nothing  at  all  in  it  of  a  funereal  character.  I  had 

C3 

gone  there  hoping  to  witness  something  new  and  re- 
markable, for  these  peculiar  rites  are  only  celebrated 
in  honor  of  sovereigns,  nobles,  and  other  persons  of 
high  standing ;  but  I  had  omitted  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  likelihood  of  my  being  myself  an  ob- 
ject of  curiosity  to  the  crowd.  Scarcely,  however, 
had  I  appeared  in  the  pagoda,  followed  by  Phrai  and 
Niou,  when  on  all  sides  I  heard  the  exclamation, 
*  Farang !  come  and  see  the  farang ! '  and  imme- 
diately both  Siamese  and  Chinamen  left  their  bowls 
of  rice  and  pressed  about  me.  I  hoped  that,  once 
their  curiosity  was  gratified,  they  would  leave  me  in 
peace,  but  instead  of  that  the  crowd  grew  thicker 
and  thicker,  and  followed  me  wherever  I  went,  so 
that  at  last  it  became  almost  unbearable,  and  all  the 
more  so  as  most  of  them  were  already  drunk,  either 
with  opium  or  arrack,  many  indeed,  with  both.  I 
quitted  the  pagoda  and  was  glad  to  get  into  the  fresh 
air  again,  but  the  respite  was  of  short  duration. 
Passing  the  entrance  of  a  large  hut  temporarily  built 
of  planks,  I  saw  some  chiefs  of  provinces  sitting  at 
breakfast.  The  senior  of  the  party  advanced  straight 
toward  me,  shook  me  by  the  hand,  and  begged  me  in 
a  cordial  and  polite  manner  to  enter ;  and  I  was  glad 
to  avail  myself  of  his  kind  offer,  and  take  refuge 
from  the  troublesome  people.  My  hosts  overwhelmed 


198  SIAM 

me  with  attentions,  and  forced  upon  me  pastry,  fruit, 
and  bonbons ;  but  the  crowd  who  had  followed  me 
forced  their  way  into  the  building  and  hemmed  us 
in  on  all  sides ;  even  the  roof  was  covered  with 
gazers.  All  of  a  sudden  we  heard  the  walls  crack, 
and  the  whole  of  the  back  of  the  hut,  yielding  under 
the  pressure,  fell  in,  and  people,  priests,  and  chiefs 
tumbling  one  upon  another,  the  scene  of  confusion 
was  irresistibly  comic.  I  profited  by  the  opportunity 
to  escape,  swearing — though  rather  late  in  the  day — 
that  they  should  not  catch  me  again. 

"  I  know  not  to  what  it  is  to  be  attributed,  unless 
it  be  the  pure  air  of  the  mountains  and  a  more  active 
life,  but  the  mountaineers  of  Chantaboun  appeared  a 
much  finer  race  than  the  Siamese  of  the  plain,  more 
robust,  and  of  a  darker  complexion.  Their  features, 
also,  are  more  regular,  and  I  should  imagine  that 
they  sprang  rather  from  the  Arian  than  from  the 
Mongolian  race.  They  remind  me  of  the  Siamese 
ami  Laotians  whom  I  met  with  in  the  mountains  of 
Pakpriati. 

"  Will  the  present  movement  of  the  nations  of 
Europe  toward  the  East  result  in  good  by  introduc- 
ing into  these  lands  the  blessings  of  our  civilization  ? 
or  shall  we,  as  blind  instruments  of  boundless  ambi- 
tion, come  hither  as  a  scourge  to  add  to  their  present 
miseries?  Here  are  millions  of  unhappy  creatures 
in  great  poverty  in  the  midst  of  the  richest  and  most 
fertile  region  imaginable,  bowing  shamefully  under 
a  servile  yoke,  made  viler  by  despotism  and  the  most 
barbarous  customs,  living  and  dying  in  utter  igno- 
rance of  the  only  true  God ! 


MOUHOT'S  TRAVELS  199 

"  I  quitted  with  regret  these  beautiful  mountains, 
where  I  had  passed  so  many  happy  hours  with  the 
poor  but  hospitable  inhabitants.  On  the  evening 
before  and  the  morning  of  my  departure,  all  the 
people  of  the  neighborhood,  Chinese  and  Siamese, 
came  to  say  adieu,  and  offer  me  presents  of  fruits, 
dried  fish,  fowls,  tobacco,  and  rice  cooked  in  various 
ways  with  brown  sugar,  all  in  greater  quantities  than 
I  could  possibly  carry  away.  The  farewells  of  these 
good  mountaineers  were  touching;  they  kissed  my 
hands  and  feet,  and  I  confess  that  my  eyes  were  not 
dry.  They  accompanied  me  to  a  great  distance, 
begging  me  not  to  forget  them,  and  to  pay  them  an- 
other visit." 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

PECHABURI  OR   P'RIPP'REE 

ON  the  opposite  side  of  the  gulf  from  Chanta- 
boun,  and  much  nearer  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Meinam,  within  a  few  hours'  sail  of  Paknam,  is  the 
town  of  Pechaburi,  which  is  now  famous  as  the  seat 
of  a  summer  palace  built  by  the  late  king,  and  as  a 
place  of  increasing  resort  for  foreigners  resident  in 
Siam. 

The  proper  orthography  of  the  name  of  this  town 
was  a  matter  which  gave  the  late  king  a  great  deal 
of  solicitude  and  distress.  Priding  himself  upon  his 
scholarship  almost  as  much  as  on  his  sovereignty, 
his  pedantic  soul  was  vexed  by  the  method  in  which 
some  of  the  writers  for  the  press  had  given  the 
name.  Accordingly,  in  a  long  article  published  in 
the  Bangkok  Calendar,  he  relieved  his  mind  by  a 
protest  which  is  so  characteristic,  and  in  its  way  so 
amusing,  that  it  will  bear  to  be  quoted  by  way  of 
introduction  to  the  present  chapter.  He  has  just 
finished  a  long  disquisition,  philological,  historical 
and  antiquarian,  concerning  the  name  of  the  city  of 
Bangkok,  and  he  continues  as  follows: 

"  But  as  the  city  P'etch'ara-booree  the  masses  of 
the  people  in  all  parts  call  it  P'ripp'ree  or  P'et-p'ree. 
The  name  P'etch'ara-booree  is  Sanskrit,  a  royal  name 


PECHABURI  OR  P'RIPP'HEE  201 

given  to  the  place  the  same  as  T'on-booree,  Non-boo- 
ree,  Nak'awn  K'u'n  k'an,  Samoota-pra-kan,  and  Ch'a- 
chong-sow.  Now,  if  Maha  nak'awn  be  called  Bang- 
kok, and  the  other  names  respectively  called  Talat- 
k'vvan,  Paklat,  Paknam,  and  Paatrew,  it  is  proper  that 
P'etch'ara-booree  should  follow  suit,  and  be  called  by 
her  vulgar  name  P'rip-p'ree,  or  P'et-p'ree. 

"  Now  that  the  company  of  teachers  and  printers 
should  coin  a  name  purporting  to  be  after  the  royal 
style  and  yet  do  not  take  the  true  Sanskrit,  seems  not 
at  all  proper.  In  trying  to  Romanize  the  name 
P'etch'ara-booree,  they  place  the  mark  over  the  a  thus 
P'etcha-booree,  making  foreigners  read  it  P'etcha- 
booree,  following  the  utterances  of  old  dunces  in  the 
temples,  who  boast  that  they  know  Balam  Bali,  and 
not  satisfied  with  that,  they  even  call  the  place  City 
P'et,  setting  forth  both  the  Bali  and  the  meaning  of 
the  word  ;  and  thus  boasting  greatly  of  their  knowl- 
edge and  of  being  a  standard  of  orthography  for  the 
name  of  that  city. 

"Now,  what  is  the  necessity  of  coining  another 
name  like  this  ?  There  is  no  occasion  for  it.  When 
the  name  is  thus  incorrectly  printed,  persons  truly  ac- 
quainted with  Sanskrit  and  Bali  (for  such  there  are 
many  other  places)  will  say  that  those  who  write  or 
print  the  name  in  the  way,  must  be  pupils  of  ignorant 
teachers — blind  teachers  not  following  the  real  San- 
skrit in  full,  taking  only  the  utterances  of  woodsmen, 
and  holding  them  forth  [as  the  correct  way].  In  fol- 
lowing such  sounds  they  cannot  be  in  accord  with  the 
Sanskrit,  and  they  conclude  that  the  name  is  Siamese. 
Whereas,  in  truth,  it  is  not  Siamese.  The  true  Siam- 
14 


202  SIAM 

ese  name  is  P'rip-p'ree  or  P'et-p'ree.  It  matters  not 
what  letters  are  used  to  express  it — follow  your  own 
mind  ;  but  let  the  sound  come  out  clear  and  accurate 
either  P'rip-p'ree  or  P'et-p'ree,  and  it  will  be  true 
Siamese.  But  the  mode  of  writing  and  printing  the 
name  P'etcha-booree  with  the  letter  a  and  mark  over 
it  and  other  marks  in  two  places,  resists  the  eye  and 
the  mouth  greatly.  Whatever  be  done  in  this  matter 
let  there  be  uniformity.  If  it  be  determined  to  fol- 
low the  vulgar  mode  of  calling  the  name,  let  that  be 
followed  out  fully  and  accurately  ;  but  if  the  royal 
mode  be  preferred  let  the  king  be  sought  unto  for  the 
proper  way  of  writing  it,  which  shall  be  in  full  accord- 
ance with  the  Sanskrit.  And  should  this  happen  not 
to  be  like  the  utterance  of  the  people  in  the  temples, 
the  difference  cannot  be  great.  And  persons  unac- 
quainted with  Sanskrit  will  be  constrained  to  acknowl- 
edge that  you  do  really  know  Sanskrit ;  and  compar- 
ing the  corrected  with  the  improper  mode  of  Roman- 
izing, will  praise  you  for  the  improvement  which  you 
have  made.  Such  persons  there  are  a  few,  not  igno- 
rant and  blind  leaders  and  dunces  like  the  inmates  of 
the  temples  and  of  the  jungles  and  forests,  but  learned 
in  the  Sanskrit  and  residents  in  Siam." 

It  is  to  be  feared,  however,  that  his  majesty's  pro- 
test came  too  late,  and  that,  like  many  another  blun- 
der, the  name  Pechaburi  has  obtained  such  currency 
that  it  cannot  be  superseded. 

Sir  John  Bowring  "received  from  a  gentleman 
now  resident  in  Siam  the  notes  of  an  excursion  to 
this  city  in  July,  1855. 

"  *  We  left  Bangkok  about  three  in  the  afternoon, 


PECHABURI  OR  P'RIPP'REE  203 

and  although  we  had  the  tide  in  our  favor,  we  only 
accomplished  five  miles  during  the  first  three  hours. 
Our  way  lay  through  a  creek  ;  and  so  great  was  the 
number  of  boats  that  it  strongly  reminded  me  of 
Chcapside  during  the  busiest  part  of  the  day.  Al- 
though 1  had  been  in  Bangkok  four  months,  I  had 
not  the  least  conception  that  there  was  such  a  popu- 
lation spread  along  the  creeks.  More  than  four 
miles  from  the  river,  there  appeared  to  be  little  or 
no  diminution  in  the  number  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
the  traffic  was  as  great  as  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek. 

"  '  Having  at  last  got  past  the  crowd  of  boats,  we 
advanced  rapidly  for  two  hours  more,  when  we 
stopped  at  a  wut,  in  order  to  give  the  men  a  rest. 
This  wat,  as  its  name  "  Laos  "  implies,  was  built  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Laos  country,  and  is  remark- 
able (if  we  can  trust  to  tradition)  as  being  the  limit 
of  the  Birmese  invasion.  Here,  the  Siamese  say,  a 
body  of  Birmans  were  defeated  by  the  villagers,  who 
had  taken  refuge  in  the  wat :  and  they  point  out  two 
large  holes  in  the  wall  as  the  places  where  cannon- 
balls  struck.  After  leaving  this,  we  proceeded 
rapidly  until  about  12  P.M.,  when  we  reached  the 
other  branch  of  the  Meinarn  (Meinam  mahachen),  and 
there  we  halted  for  the  night. 

"  '  Our  journey  the  next  day  was  most  delightful  ; 
most  of  it  lay  through  narrow  creeks,  their  banks 
covered  with  atap  and  bamboo,  whilst  behind  this 
screen  were  plantations  of  chilis,  beans,  peas,  etc. 
Alligators  and  otters  abounded  in  the  creeks ;  and 
we  shot  several,  and  one  of  a  peculiar  breed  of  mon- 
key also  we  killed.  The  Siamese  name  of  it  is  chang, 


204  SIAM 

and  it  is  accounted  a  great  delicacy  :  they  also  eat 
with  avidity  the  otter.  We  crossed  during  the  day 
the  Tha-chin,  a  river  as  broad  as  the  Meinam  at 
Bangkok.  Toward  evening  we  entered  the  Mei- 
Klong,  which  we  descended  till  we  reached  the  sea- 
coast.  Here  we  waited  till  the  breeze  should  suffi- 
ciently abate  to  enable  us  to  cross  the  bay. 

"  '  11  th. — We  started  about  4  A.M.,  and  reached 
the  opposite  side  in  about  three  hours.  The  bay  is 
remarkably  picturesque,  and  is  so  shallow  that,  al- 
though we  crossed  fully  four  miles  from  the  head  of 
the  bay,  we  never  had  more  than  six  feet  of  water, 
and  generally  much  less.  Arrived  at  the  other  side 
we  ascended  the  river  on  which  Pechaburi  is  built. 
At  the  mouth  of  the  river  myriads  of  monkeys  were 
to  be  seen.  A  very  amusing  incident  occurred  here. 
Mr.  Hunter,  wishing  to  get  a  juvenile  specimen,  fired 
at  the  mother,  but,  unfortunately,  only  wounded  her, 
and  she  had  strength  enough  to  carry  the  young  one 
into  the  jungle.  Five  men  immediately  followed 
her;  but  ere  they  had  been  out  of  sight  five  minutes 
we  saw  them  hurrying  toward  us  shouting,  "Ling, 
ling,  ling,  ling .' "  (ling,  monkey).  As  I  could  see 
nothing,  I  asked  Mr.  Hunter  if  they  were  after  the 
monkey.  "  Oh,  no,"  he  replied  ;  "  the  monkeys  are 
after  them  !  "  And  so  they  were — thousands  upon 
thousands  of  them,  coming  down  in  a  most  unpleas- 
ant manner ;  and,  as  the  tide  was  out,  there  was  a 
great  quantity  of  soft  mud  to  cross  before  they  could 
reach  the  boat,  and  here  the  monkeys  gained  very 
rapidly  upon  the  men,  and  when  at  length  the  boat 
was  reached,  their  savage  pursuers  were  not  twenty 


PECHABURI  OR  P'RIPP'REE  205 

yards  behind.  The  whole  scene  was  ludicrous  in  the 
extreme,  and  I  really  think  if  my  life  had  depended 
upon  it  that  I  could  not  have  fired  a  shot.  To  see 
the  men  making  the  most  strenuous  exertions  to  get 
through  the  deep  mud,  breathless  with  their  run  and 
fright  combined,  and  the  army  of  little  wretches 
drawn  up  in  line  within  twenty  yards  of  us,  scream- 
ing, and  making  use  of  the  most  diabolical  language, 
if  we  could  only  have  understood  them  !  Besides, 
there  was  a  feeling  that  they  had  the  right  side  of 
the  question.  One  of  the  refugees,  however,  did  not 
appear  to  take  my  view  of  the  case.  Smarting  under 
the  disgrace,  and  the  bamboos  against  which  he  ran 
in  his  retreat,  he  seized  my  gun,  and  fired  both  bar- 
rels on  the  exulting  foe  ;  they  immediately  retired  in 
great  disorder,  leaving  four  dead  upon  the  field. 
Many  were  the  quarrels  that  arose  from  this  affair 
among  the  men. 

"  *  The  approach  to  Pechaburi  is  very  pleasant,  the 
river  is  absolutely  arched  over  by  tamarind  trees, 
while  the  most  admirable  cultivation  prevails  all 
along  its  course. 

"  '  The  first  object  which  attracts  the  attention  is 
the  magnificent  pagoda,  within  which  is  a  reclining 
figure  of  Buddha,  one  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  in 
length.  Above  the  pagoda,  the  priests  have,  with 
great  perseverance,  terraced  the  face  of  the  rock  to  a 
considerable  height.  About  half-way  up  the  moun- 
tain, there  is  an  extensive  cave,  generally  known 
amongst  foreigners  as  the  "  Cave  of  Idols ;  "  it  cer- 
tainly deserves  its  name,  if  we  are  to  judge  from  the 
number  of  figures  of  Buddha  which  it  contains. 


206  SIAM 

11 '  The  talapoiris  assert  that  it  is  natural.  It  may 
be  so  in  part,  but  there  are  portions  of  it  in  which 
the  hand  of  man  is  visible.  It  is  very  small,  not  more 
than  thirty  yards  in  length,  and  about  seven  feet 
high  ;  but  anything  like  a  cavern  is  so  uncommon  in 
this  country,  that  this  one  is  worth  notice.  We  now 
proceeded  to  climb  the  mountain.  It  is  very  steep, 
but  of  no  great  height — probably  not  more  than  five 
hundred  feet.  It  is  covered  with  huge  blocks  of  a 
stone  resembling  granite ;  these  are  exceedingly 
slippery,  and  the  ascent  is  thus  rendered  rather  la- 
borious. But  when  we  reached  the  top  we  were  well 
repaid.  The  country  for  miles  in  each  direction  lay 
at  our  feet — one  vast  plain,  unbroken  by  any  elevation. 
It  appeared  like  an  immense  garden,  so  carefully  was 
it  cultivated ;  the  young  rice  and  sugar-cane,  of  the 
most  beautiful  green,  relieved  by  the  darker  shade  of 
the  cocoanut  trees,  which  are  used  as  boundaries  to 
the  fields — those  fields  traversed  by  suitable  foot- 
paths. Then  toward  the  sea  the  view  was  more 
varied  :  rice  and  sugar-cane  held  undisputed  sway  for 
a  short  distance  from  the  town ;  then  cocoanuts  be- 
came more  frequent,  until  the  rice  finally  disappeared ; 
then  the  bamboos  gradually  invaded  the  cocoanut 
trees ;  then  the  atap  palm,  with  its  magnificent 
leaf  ;  and  lastly  came  that  great  invader  of  Siam, 
the  mangrove.  Beyond  were  the  mountains  on 
the  Malay  Peninsula,  stretching  away  in  the  dis- 
tance. 

"  '  With  great  reluctance  did  we  descend  from  the 
little  pagoda,  which  is  built  upon  the  very  summit ; 
but  evening  was  corning  on,  and  we  had  observed  in 


PECUABURI  OR  P'RIPP'REE  207 

ascending  some  very  suspicious-looking  footprints 
mightily  resembling  those  of  a  tiger. 

"  '  Pechaburi  is  a  thriving  town,  containing  about 
twenty  thousand  inhabitants.  The  houses  are,  for 
the  most  part,  neatly  built,  and  no  floating  houses  are 
visible.  Rice  and  sugar  are  two-thirds  dearer  at 
Bangkok  than  they  are  here,  and  the  rice  is  of  a 
particularly  fine  description.  We  called  upon  the 
governor  daring  the  evening.  Next  morning  we 
started  for  home,  and  arrived  without  any  acci- 
dent.'" 

It  was  not  until  the  completion  of  his  prolonged 
tour  of  exploration  through  Cambodia,  and  his  visit 
to  the  savage  tribes  on  the  frontier  of  Cochin-China, 
that  Mouhot  found  time  for  his  excursion  to  Pecha- 
buri from  Bangkok. 

"  I  returned  to  the  capital,"  he  says,  "  after  fifteen 
months'  absence.  During  the  greater  part  of  this 
time  I  had  never  known  the  comfort  of  sleeping  in  a 
bed ;  and  throughout  my  wanderings  my  only  food 
had  been  rice  or  dried  fish,  and  I  had  not  once  tasted 
good  water.  I  was  astonished  at  having  preserved 
my  health  so  well,  particularly  in  the  forests,  where 
often  wet  to  the  skin,  and  without  a  change  of  clothes, 
I  have  had  to  pass  whole  nights  by  a  fire,  at  the  foot 
of  a  tree.  Yet  I  have  not  had  a  single  attack  of  fever, 
and  been  always  happy  and  in  good  spirits,  especially 
when  lucky  enough  to  light  upon  some  novelty.  A 
new  shell  or  insect  filled  me  with  a  joy  which  ardent 
naturalists  alone  can  understand  ;  but  they  know  well 
how  little  fatigues  and  privations  of  all  kinds  are  cared 
for  when  set  against  the  delight  experienced  in  mak- 


208  SIAM 

ing  one  discovery  after  another,  and  in  feeling  that 
one  is  of  some  slight  assistance  to  the  votaries  of 
science.  It  pleases  me  to  think  that  my  investiga- 
tions into  the  archaeology,  entomology,  and  conchol- 
ogy  of  these  lands  may  be  of  use  to  certain  members 
of  the  great  and  generous  English  nation,  who  kindly 
encouraged  the  poor  naturalist ;  while  France,  his  own 
country,  remained  deaf  to  his  voice. 

"  It  was  another  great  pleasure  to  me,  after  these 
fifteen  months  of  travelling,  during  which  very  few 
letters  from  home  had  reached  me,  to  find,  on  arriv- 
ing at  Bangkok,  an  enormous  packet,  telling  me  all 
the  news  of  my  distant  family  and  country.  It  is 
indeed  happiness,  after  so  long  a  period  of  solitude, 
to  read  the  lines  traced  by  the  beloved  hands  of  an 
aged  father,  of  a  wife,  of  a  brother.  These  joys  are 
to  be  reckoned  among  the  sweetest  and  purest  of  life. 

""We  stopped  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  at  the  en- 
trance of  a  canal,  whence  there  is  a  view  over  the 
busiest  part  of  the  Meinarn.  It  was  almost  night, 
and  silence  reigned  around  us ;  but  when  at  day- 
break I  rose  and  saw  the  ships  lying  at  anchor  in  the 
middle  of  the  stream,  while  the  roofs  of  the  palaces 
and  pagodas  reflected  the  first'  rays  of  the  sun,  I 
thought  that  Bangkok  had  never  looked  so  beauti- 
ful. However,  life  here  would  never  suit  me,  and 
the  mode  of  locomotion  is  wearisome  after  an  active 
existence  among  the  woods  and  in  the  chase. 

"  The  river  is  constantly  covered  with  thousands 
of  boats  of  different  sizes  and  forms,  and  the  port  of 
Bangkok  is  certainly  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world, 
without  excepting  even  the  justly-renowned  harbor 


PECHABURI  OR  P'RIPP'REE  209 

of  New  York.  Thousands  of  vessels  can  find  safe 
anchorage  here. 

"The  town  of  Bangkok  increases  in  population 
and  extent  every  day,  and  there  is  no  doubt  but  that 
it  will  become  a  very  important  capital.  If  France 
succeeds  in  taking  possession  of  Annam,  the  com- 
merce between  the  two  countries  will  increase.  It 
is  scarcely  a  century  old,  and  yet  contains  nearly  half 
a  million  of  inhabitants,  among  whom  are  many 
Christians.  The  flag  of  France  floating  in  Cochin- 
China  would  improve  the  position  of  the  missions  in 
all  the  surrounding  countries ;  and  I  have  reason  to 
hope  that  Christianity  will  increase  more  rapidly 
than  it  has  hitherto  done. 

"  I  had  intended  to  visit  the  northeast  of  the 
country  of  Laos,  crossing  Dong  Phya  Phai  (the  forest 
of  the  King  of  Fire),  and  going  on  to  Hieng  Naie,  on 
the  frontiers  of  Cochin-China ;  thence  to  the  con- 
fines of  Tonquin.  I  had  planned  to  return  afterward 
by  the  Mekong  to  Cambodia,  and  then  to  pass 
through  Cochin-China,  should  the  arms  of  France 
have  been  victorious  there.  However,  the  rainy  sea- 
son having  commenced  the  whole  country  was  in- 
undated, and  the  forests  impassable ;  so  it  was  nec- 
essary to  wait  four  months  before  I  could  put  my 
project  in  execution.  I  therefore  packed  up  and 
sent  off  all  my  collections,  and  after  remaining  a  few 
weeks  in  Bangkok  I  departed  for  Pechaburi,  situated 
about  13°  north  latitude,  and  to  the  north  of  the 
Malayan  peninsula. 

"  On  May  8th,  at  five  o'clock  in  the  evening,  I 
sailed  from  Bangkok  in  a  magnificent  vessel,  orna- 


210  81  AM 

merited  with  rich  gilding  and  carved  work,  belong- 
ing to  Klirom  Luang,  one  of  the  king's  brothers, 
who  had  kindlyleut  it  to  a  valued  friend  of  mine. 
There  is  no  reason  for  concealing  the  name  of  this 
gentleman,  who  has  proved  himself  a  real  friend  in 
the  truest  meaning  of  the  word  ;  but  I  rather  em- 
brace the  opportunity  of  testifying  my  affection  and 
gratitude  to  M.  Malherbes,  who  is  a  French  mer- 
chant settled  at  Bangkok.  He  insisted  on  accom- 
panying me  for  some  distance,  and  the  few  days  he 
passed  with  me  were  most  agreeable  ones. 

"  The  current  was  favorable,  and,  with  our  fifteen 
rowers,  we  proceeded  rapidly  down  the  stream.  Our 
boat,  adorned  with  all  sorts  of  flags,  red  streamers, 
and  peacocks'  tails,  attracted  the  attention  of  all  the 
European  residents,  whose  houses  are  built  along 
the  banks  of  the  stream,  and  who,  from  their  veran- 
das, saluted  us  by  cheering  and  waving  their  hands. 
Three  days  after  leaving  Bangkok  we  arrived  at 
Pechaburi. 

"  The  king  was  expected  there  the  same  day,  to 
visit  a  palace  which  he  has  had  built  on  the  summit 
of  a  hill  near  the  town.  Khrom  Luang,  Kalahom 
(prime-minister),  and  a  large  number  of  mandarins 
had  already  assembled.  Seeing  us  arrive,  the  prince 
called  to  us  from  his  pretty  little  house ;  and  as 
soon  as  we  had  put  on  more  suitable  dresses  we 
waited  on  him,  and  he  entered  into  conversation  with 
us  till  breakfast-time.  He  is  an  excellent  man,  and, 
of  all  the  dignitaries  of  the  country,  the  one  who 
manifests  least  reserve  and  hauteur  toward  Euro- 
peans. In  education  both  this  prince  and  the  king 


PECHABURI  OR  P'RIPP'REE  211 

are  much  advanced,  considering  the  state  of  the 
country,  but  in  their  manners  they  have  little  more 
refinement  than  the  people  generally. 

"  Our  first  walk  was  to  the  hill  on  which  the  pal- 
ace stands.  Seen  from  a  little  distance,  this  build- 
ing, of  European  construction,  presents  a  very  strik- 
ing appearance ;  and  the  winding  path  which  leads 
up  to  it  has  been  admirably  contrived  amid  the  vol- 
canic rocks,  basalt,  and  scoria  which  cover  the  sur- 
face of  this  ancient  crater. 

"About  twenty-five  miles  off,  stretches  from  north 
to  south  a  chain  of  mountains  called  Deng,  and  in- 
habited by  the  independent  tribes  of  the  primitive 
Kariens.  Beyond  these  rise  a  number  of  still  higher 
peaks.  On  the  low  ground  are  forests,  palm-trees, 
and  rice-fields,  the  whole  rich  and  varied  in  color. 
Lastly,  to  the  south  and  east,  and  beyond  another 
plain,  lies  the  gulf,  on  whose  waters,  fading  away  into 
the  horizon,  a  few  scattered  sails  are  j  ust  distinguish- 
able. 

"  It  was  one  of  those  sights  not  to  be  soon  forgot- 
ten, and  the  king  has  evinced  his  taste  in  the  selec- 
tion of  such  a  spot  for  his  palace.  Ko  beings  can  be 
less  poetical  or  imaginative  than  the  Indo-Chinese  ; 
their  hearts  never  appear  to  expand  to  the  genial 
rays  of  the  sun  ;  yet  they  must  have  some  apprecia- 
tion of  this  beautiful  scenery,  as  they  always  fix  upon 
the  finest  sites  for  their  pagodas  and  palaces. 

"  Quitting  this  hill,  we  proceeded  to  another,  like 
it  an  extinct  volcano  or  upheaved  crater.  Here  are 
four  or  five  grottoes,  two  of  which  are  of  surprising 
extent  and  extremely  picturesque.  A  painting  which 


212  SI  A  M 

represented  them  faithfully  would  be  supposed  the 
offspring  of  a  fertile  imagination ;  no  one  would  be- 
lieve it  to  be  natural.  The  rocks,  long  in  a  state  of 
fusion,  have  taken,  in  cooling,  those  singular  forms 
peculiar  to  scoria  and  basalt.  Then,  after  the  sea 
had  retreated — for  all  these  rocks  have  risen  from 
the  bottom  of  the  water — owing  to  the  moisture  con- 
tinually dripping  through  the  damp  soil,  they  have 
taken  the  richest  and  most  harmonious  colors.  These 
grottoes,  moreover,  are  adorned  by  such  splendid 
stalactites,  which,  like  columns,  seem  to  sustain  the 
walls  and  roofs,  that  one  might  fancy  one's  self  pres- 
ent at  one  of  the  beautiful  fairy  scenes  represented  at 
Christmas  in  the  London  theatres. 

"  If  the  taste  of  the  architect  of  the  king's  palace 
has  failed  in  the  design  of  its  interior,  here,  at  least, 
lie  has  made  the  best  of  all  the  advantages  offered  to 
him  by  nature.  A  hammer  touching  the  walls  would 
have  disfigured  them  ;  he  had  only  to  level  the 
ground,  and  to  make  staircases  to  aid  the  descent  in- 
to the  grottoes,  and  enable  the  visitors  to  see  them  in 
all  their  beauty. 

"  The  largest  and  most  picturesque  of  the  caverns 
has  been  made  into  a  temple.  All  along  the  sides 
are  rows  of  idols,  one  of  superior  size,  representing 
Buddha  asleep,  being  gilt. 

"We  came  down  from  the  mountain  just  at  the 
moment  of  the  king's  arrival.  Although  his  stay  was 
not  intended  to  exceed  two  days  he  was  preceded  by 
a  hundred  slaves,  carrying  an  immense  number  of 
coffers,  boxes,  baskets,  etc.  A  disorderly  troop  of 
soldiers  marched  both  in  front  and  behind,  dressed  in 


PECHABURI  OR  P'RIPP'REE  213 

the  most  singular  and  ridiculous  costumes  imaginable. 
The  emperor  Soulouque  himself  would  have  laughed, 
for  certainly  his  old  guard  must  have  made  a  bet- 
ter appearance  than  that  of  his  East  Indian  brother. 
Nothing  could  give  a  better  idea  of  this  set  of  tatter- 
demalions than  the  dressed-up  monkeys  which  dance 
upon  the  organs  of  the  little  Savoyards.  Their  ap- 
parel was  of  coarse  red  cloth  upper  garments,  which 
left  a  part  of  the  body  exposed,  in  every  case  either 
too  large  or  too  small,  too  long  or  too  short,  with 
white  shakos,  and  pantaloons  of  various  colors ;  as 
for  shoes,  they  were  a  luxury  enjoyed  by  few. 

"  A  few  chiefs,  whose  appearance  was  quite  in 
keeping  with  that  of  their  men,  were  on  horseback 
leading  this  band  of  warriors,  while  the  king,  at- 
tended by  slaves,  slowly  advanced  in  a  little  open  car- 
riage drawn  by  a  pony. 

"  I  visited  several  hills  detached  from  the  great 
chain  Khao  Deng,  which  is  only  a  few  miles  oif. 
During  my  stay  here  it  has  rained  continually,  and  I 
have  had  to  wage  war  with  savage  foes,  from  whom 
I  never  before  suffered  so  much.  Nothing  avails 
against  them;  they  let  themselves  be  massacred  with 
a  courage  worthy  of  nobler  beings.  I  speak  of  mos- 
quitoes. Thousands  of  these  cruel  insects  suck  our 
blood  night  and  day.  My  body,  face,  and  hands  are 
covered  with  wounds  and  blisters.  I  would  rather 
have  to  deal  with  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest.  At 
times  I  howl  with  pain  and  exasperation.  No  one 
can  imagine  the  frightful  plague  of  these  little 
demons,  to  whom  Dante  has  omitted  to  assign  a 
place  in  his  infernal  regions.  I  scarcely  dare  to 


214  SI  AM 

bathe,  for  my  body  is  covered  before  I  can  get  into 
the  water.  The  natural  philosopher  who  held  up 
these  little  animals  as  examples  of  parental  love  was 
certainly  not  tormented  as  I  have  been. 

"  About  ten  miles  from  Pechaburi  I  found  several 
villages  inhabited  by  Laotians,  who  have  been  settled 
there  for  two  or  three  generations.  Their  costumes 
consist  of  a  long  shirt  and  black  pantaloons,  like  those 
of  the  Cochin-Chinese,  and  they  have  the  Siamese  tuft 
of  hair.  The  women  wear  the  same  head-dress  as  the 
Cambodians.  Their  songs,  and  their  way  of  drink- 
ing through  bamboo  pipes,  from  large  jars,  a  fer- 
mented liquor  made  from  rice  and  herbs,  recalled  to 
my  mind  what  I  had  seen  among  the  savage  Stiens. 
I  also  found  among  them  the  same  baskets  and  in- 
struments used  by  those  tribes. 

"  The  young  girls  are  fair  compared  to  the  Siamese, 
and  their  features  are  pretty  ;  but  they  soon  grow 
coarse  and  lose  all  their  charms.  Isolated  in  their 
villages,  these  Laotians  have  preserved  their  lan- 
guage and  customs,  and  they  never  mingle  with  the 
Siamese." 

To  any  one  who  has  had  experience  of  the  Siamese 
mosquitoes,  it  is  delightful  to  fiud  such  thorough  ap- 
preciation of  them  as  Mouhot  exhibits.  In  number 
and  in  ferocity  they  are  unsurpassed.  A  prolonged 
and  varied  observation  of  the  habits  of  this  insect,  in 
New  Jersey  and  elsewhere,  enables  this  editor  to  say 
that  the  mosquitoes  of  Siam  are  easily  chief  among 
their  kind.  The  memory  of  one  night  at  Paknam  is 
still  vivid  and  dreadful.  So  multitudinous,  so  irresisti- 
ble, so  intolerable  were  the  swarms  of  these  sangui- 


PECIIABURI  OR  P'RIPP'REE  215 

nary  enemies  that  not  only  comfort,  but  health  and 
even  life  itself  seemed  jeopardized,  as  the  irritation 
was  fast  bringing  on  a  state  of  fever.  There  seemed 
no  way  but  to  flee.  Orders  were  given  to  get  np  steam 
in  the  little  steamer  which  had  brought  us  from  Bang- 
kok, and  we  made  all  possible  haste  out  of  reach  of 
the  shore  and  anchored  miles  distant  in  the  safe 
waters  of  the  gulf  till  morning. 

Mouhot  remained  for  four  months  among  the 
mountains  of  Pechaburi,  "  known  by  the  names  of 
Makaon  Khao,  Panam  Knot,  Khao  Tarnoune,  and 
Khao  Samroun,  the  last  two  of  which  are  1,700  and 
1,900  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea."  He  needed 
the  repose  after  the  fatigue  of  his  long  journey,  and 
by  way  of  preparation  for  his  new  and  arduous  ex- 
plorations of  the  Laos  country,  from  which,  as  the  re- 
sult proved,  he  was  never  to  come  back.  He  returned 
to  Bangkok,  and  after  a  brief  season  of  preparation 
and  farewell,  he  started  for  the  interior. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM 

UNTIL  recent  years  little  has  been  known  or  said 
of  the  inhabitants  who  occupy  the  remoter 
districts  of  Siam.  Owing  to  its  debilitating  climate 
and  the  many  dangers  of  travel  in  jungle  and  wilder- 
ness, explorers  have  thus  far  made  but  meagre  con- 
tributions to  our  knowledge  of  the  shy  and  savage 
tribes  in  the  north  and  west.  In  spite  of  our  igno- 
rance, however,  it  is  admitted  that  these  various 
races  found  in  the  Indo-Chinese  peninsula  present 
problems  of  great  ethnological  interest,  the  solution  of 
which  will  some  day  explain  the  origins  of  many 
language  and  race  puzzles  now  quite  insoluble.  To 
most  foreigners,  Siam  is  the  city  of  Bangkok  and  its 
neighborhood  ;  yet,  to  obtain  a  fair  conception  of  the 
kingdom,  as  one  of  the  foremost  states  of  Asia,  we 
must  understand  the  variety  and  extent  of  the  coun- 
try, a  few  glimpses  of  which  we  may  have  through 
the  reports  of  those  who  have  penetrated  its  wilds. 

For  the  most  part,  we  are  told  by  Mr.  McCarthy, 
whose  six  years'  experience  in  superintending  the 
government  survey,  entitles  him  to  respect  as  an 
authority,  "the  people  settle  on  the  banks  of  the 
rivers  and  are  employed  chiefly  in  cultivating  rice. 
There  are  but  few  villages  distant  from  the  large 


THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM         217 

rivers,  and  in  the  mountainous  parts  of  the  kingdom 
the  towns  and  villages  are  built  in  open  flat  valleys, 
picturesquely  surrounded  by  the  mountains,  which  are 
clothed  with  forests  from  top  to  bottom,  the  under- 
growth being  so  heavy  that  one  seldom  or  never  sees 
any  sport  which  would  change  the  monotony  of  daily 
trudging  through  mountains,  where  one's  view  is  con- 
fined to  within  ten  yards  around.  There  is  one  pecu- 
liar feature  in  this  population  of  different  nationali- 
ties, and  that  is  that  they  do  not  amalgamate  with 
one  another  ;  thus  it  comes  about  that  near  Bangkok 
itself  villages  of  Burmans  aud  Annamites  are  found 
living  in  separate  communities,  preserving  their  own 
language  and  customs." 

The  region  to  the  west  of  the  Meinam  is  mostly 
mountainous  and  a  perfect  wilderness  of  jungle,  the 
country  being  sparsely  inhabited.  A  short  distance 
from  the  broad  valley  the  high  range  appears  which 
forms  the  water-shed  between  the  Gulf  of  Siam  and 
the  Bay  of  Bengal.  The  portion  of  this  range  which 
lies  above  the  Malay  peninsula  appears  to  be  drained 
on  its  eastern  slope,  not  by  the  "  Mother  of  "Waters" 
itself,  but  by  its  neighbor,  the  Mei-Ivlong,  running 
almost  parallel  with  it  from  the  heights  of  the  Karen 
country  to  the  Gulf.  "  This  river  to  Kanburi,"  says 
Dr.  Collins,  an  American  missionary  who  was  the 
first  to  cross  the  wild  district  between  Bangkok  and 
Maulmein,  "  is  an  exceedingly  winding,  broad,  clear, 
shallow  stream,  with  a  slow  current  and  well-defined 
banks,  on  which  are  a  few  villages  and  many  separated 
habitations.  The  best  land  seemed  to  be  in  the  hands 
of  Chinese,  who  cultivate  tobacco,  sugar-cane,  cotton, 
15 


218  81  AM 

and  rice.  Many  of  the  Chinese  located  on  the  banks 
of  this  river,  as  in  other  parts  of  Siarn,  have  married 
native  women  and  form  the  best  element  of  the  popu- 
lation. Quite  a  number  are  Roman  Catholics,  while 
all  are  sober,  industrious,  orderly,  and  prosperous." 

After  leaving  his  river-boat  at  Kanburi,  the  mis- 
sionary pursued  his  journey  across  country  by  ele- 
phant through  the  regions  occupied  by  the  Karens,  a 
simple  and  hardy  race  of  mountaineers,  who  worship 
the  forest  spirits.  This  folk  occupy  in  small  num- 
bers the  border-land  between  Siam  and  Lower  Bur- 
in ah.  "  We  saw,"  continues  Dr.  Collins,  "  very  few 
signs  of  animal  life  in  the  forests  ;  generally  a  pro- 
found silence  reigned,  broken  only  by  the  wild  songs 
of  the  Karens,  or  the  cracking  of  bamboos  in  the 
pathway  of  the  elephants.  It  is  true,  in  the  early 
mornings  we  would  see  along  the  river  banks  whole 
families  of  monkeys  basking  in  the  warm  sunshine, 
and  talking  over  the  plans  of  the  day,  but  as  we 
passed  along  they  would  retire  into  the  depths  of  the 
forest.  These  forests  could  not  be  infested  with 
tigers  and  other  dangerous  animals,  as  we  frequently 
passed  Karen  families  on  foot,  journeying  from  one 
village  to  another.  The  Karens  have  settlements  all 
through  the  jungle.  Their  small  villages  consist  of  a 
few  rude  bamboo  huts,  and  around  them  are  culti- 
vated their  upland  rice  and  cotton,  while  the  moun- 
tain streams  furnish  them  fish  in  abundance.  Some- 
times they  raise  fowls,  and  cultivate  sweet  potatoes, 
the  red  pepper,  and  flowers.  They  seldom  remain 
over  two  or  three  seasons  in  the  valleys,  but  move 
away  to  fresh  land.  Our  forest  paths  led  through 


THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM         219 

many  abandoned  Karen  villages  and  plantations, 
where  now  rank  weeds  and  young  bamboos  supplant 
the  fields  of  rice  and  cotton.  The  Karens  with  whom 
we  came  in  contact  were  mountain  heathen  Karens. 
They  seemed  to  possess  no  wealth,  cultivating  only 
sufficient  land  to  clothe  and  feed  themselves.  The 
women  were  fairer  than  the  Siamese  or  Birmese  ; 
and  it  was  a  pleasant  sight  to  see  them  always  cheer- 
ful and  industrious — pounding  paddy,  weaving  their 
garments,  or  otherwise  occupied  in  their  simple 
household  duties,  and  lightening  their  toil  by  singing 
plaintive  nature  songs."  Owing  to  a  tradition  that 
they  would  one  day  receive  a  religion  from  the  West, 
these  people  are  said  to  be  peculiarly  amenable  to 
the  influence  and  instruction  of  Christian  mission- 
aries. 

Of  the  Lao  or  Shan  tribes  owning  allegiance  to  the 
King  of  Siam,  we  have  spoken  very  briefly  in  the 
second  chapter  of  this  volume.  They  probably  rep- 
resent the  mixed  and  deteriorated  remnant  of  the 
aborigines  who  were  originally  driven  from  Central 
China  to  occupy,  under  the  national  name  of  Tai,  the 
forests  and  coasts  of  Indo-China.  Such  accounts  as 
we  possess  of  these  peoples  are  fragmentary,  and 
often  strangely  contradictory,  their  tribal  names  and 
divisions  being  applied  by  different  travellers  to  a 
great  variety  of  localities.  In  general,  although  the 
names  are  often  used  interchangeably,  the  word  Lao 
seems  to  be  given  to  that  part  of  the  great  Shan  (or 
Tai)  race  who  live  in  the  north  and  east  of  Siam, 
some  of  their  tribes  coming  down  as  far  south  as 

O 

the  Cambodian  frontier.     Mr.  Carl  Bock,  in  his  notes 


220  SIAM 

taken  on  the  spot,  explains  that  "  there  are  six  Lao 
states  directly  tributary  to  Siam,  all  entirely  inde- 
pendent of  each  other,  but  with  several  minor  states 
dependent  upon  these  larger  ones.  The  rulers  in  all 
these  states,  even  the  smaller  ones,  are  autocratic  in 
their  authority.  Their  chiefs  hold  office  for  life,  but 
their  places  are  not  hereditary,  being  filled  nominally 
by  the  King  of  Siam,  but  really  on  the  election  and 
recommendation  of  the  people,  who  send  notice  to 
Bangkok  on  the  decease  of  a  chief,  with  a  private  in- 
timation of  their  views  as  to  a  successor.  Tribute  is 
paid  triennially,  and  takes  the  form  of  gold  and  silver 
betel-boxes,  vases,  and  necklaces,  each  enriched  with 
four  rubies  of  the  size  of  a  lotus-seed,  and  a  hundred 
of  the  size  of  a  grain  of  Indian  corn.  Besides  these 
are  curious  representations  of  trees  in  gold  and  silver, 
about  eight  feet  high,  each  with  four  branches,  from 
which  again  depend  four  twigs,  with  a  single  leaf  at 
the  end  of  each.  The  gold  trees  are  valued  at  1,080 
ticals  (£135)  each,  and  the  silver  ones  at  120  ticals 
(£15)  each. 

"  Of  all  Laosians,  those  living  in  the  extreme  north 
are  the  most  backward,  and  from  what  has  been  said 
it  will  be  gathered  that  the  instincts  of  the  people 
generally  are  not  of  a  very  high  order.  They  are 
mean  to  a  degree  ;  liberality  and  generosity  are  words 
they  do  not  understand  ;  they  are  devoid  of  ordinary 
human  sympathy,  being  eaten  up  by  an  absorbing 
desire  to  keep  themselves — each  man  for  himself— 
out  of  the  clutches  of  the  spirits.  Their  highest 
earthly  ambition  is  to  hoard  up  money,  vessels  and 
ornaments  of  gold  and  silver,  and  anything  else  of 


THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM         221 

value  ;  as  to  the  means  adopted  for  obtaining  which 
they  are  not  over-scrupulous.  They  are  extremely 
untruthful  and  wonderfully  apt  at  making  excuses, 
and  think  no  more  of  being  discovered  in  a  lie  than 
of  being  seen  smoking.  I  give  them  credit,  however, 
of  being,  generally  speaking,  moral  in  their  domestic 
relations. 

"  If  a  man's  face  is  an  index  to  his  feelings,  then 
the  Laosians  must  be  bereft  of  all  capacity  to  appre- 
ciate any  variety  of  mental  emotions.  It  is  the  rarest 
phenomenon  to  see  any  change  in  their  countenance 
or  deportment,  except — there  is  always  one  exception 
to  every  rule — when  they  are  aroused  to  anger. 
This  statement  is  more  particularly  true  of  the  men, 
but  even  the  women — demonstrative  as  the  sex  usu- 
ally are — are  seldom  moved  to  either  laughter  or 
tears.  Whatever  news  a  Laosian  may  receive, 
whether  of  disaster  or  of  joy,  he  hears  it  with  a  phil- 
osophic indifference  depicted  on  his  calm,  stoical 
countenance  that  a  European  diplomatist  would  give 
a  fortune  to  be  able  to  imitate.  But  when  any  sud- 
den feeling  of  anger  or  any  latent  resentment  is 
aroused,  then  the  passion  begins  to  display  itself,  if 
not  in  any  great  change  of  facial  expression,  at  any 
rate  in  general  demeanor  and  in  quick,  restless  move- 
ments of  impatience  and  irritation." 

A  rather  more  favorable  estimate  of  Laosian  char- 
acter is  made  by  the  missionaries  who  live  among 
them,  and  presumably  know  them  better.  "  Consid- 
ering their  disadvantages,"  says  Miss  McGilvary, 
"  the  Laos  are  a  remarkably  refined  race,  as  is  shown 
by  many  of  their  customs.  Should  a  person  be  tell- 


222  SIAM 

ing  another  of  the  stream  which  he  had  crossed,  and 
wished  to  say  it  was  ankle-deep,  as  he  would  feel  a 
delicacy  in  referring  to  his  person,  his  expression 
would  be,  '  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  the  water  was  an- 
kle-deep.' If  one  wished  to  reach  anything  above 
another's  head,  he  would  beg  the  latter's  pardon  be- 
fore raising  his  hand.  A  great  and  passionate  love 
for  flowers  and  music  also  indicates  a  delicacy  of  feel- 
ing. Although  before  missionaries  went  there  the 
women  did  not  know  how  to  read,  they  were  always 
trained  to  be  useful  in  their  homes,  and  a  Laos  girl 
who  does  not  know  how  to  weave  her  own  dress  is 
considered  as  ignorant  as  a  girl  in  this  country  who 
does  not  know  how  to  read. 

"  The  holiday  which  most  interests  the  missionaries' 
children  is  the  Kew  Year,  when  all,  and  especially 
the  young,  give  themselves  up  to  a  peculiar  form  of 
merry-making,  consisting  in  giving  everyone  a  shower. 
Armed  with  buckets  of  water  and  bamboo  reeds,  by 
which  they  can  squirt  the  water  some  distance,  these 
people  place  themselves  at  the  doors  and  gates  and 
on  the  streets,  ready  to  give  any  passer-by  a  drench- 
ing, marking  out  as  special  victims  those  who  are 
foolish  enough  to  wear  good  clothes  on  such  a  da}7. 
It  is  most  amusing  to  watch  them,  after  exhausting 
their  supply  of  water,  hasten  to  the  river  or  well  and 
run  back,  fearing  the  loss  of  one  opportunity.  Some- 
times several  torrents  are  directed  on  one  individual ; 
then,  after  the  drenching,  shouts  of  laughter  fill  the 
air.  On  this  day  the  king  and  his  court,  with  a  long 
retinue  of  slaves,  go  to  the  river.  Some  of  the  at- 
tendants carry  silver  or  brass  basins  filled  with  water 


THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  81  AM         223 

perfumed  with  some  scented  shrub  or  flower.  "When 
the  king  reaches  the  river's  brink  he  goes  a  few  steps 
into  the  water,  where  he  takes  his  stand,  while  the 
princes  and  nobles  surround  him.  The  perfumed 
water  is  poured  on  the  king's  head,  afterward  on  the 
heads  of  the  nobles,  and  they  plunge  into  the  river 
with  noisy  splashings  and  laughter.  The  custom  is 
also  observed  in  families.  A  basin  of  water  is  poured 
on  the  head  of  the  father,  mother,  and  grandparents, 
by  the  eldest  son  or  by  some  respected  member  of  the 
family.  The  ceremony  lias  some  religious  signifi- 
cance, being  symbolical  of  blessings  and  felicity ;  a 
formula  of  prayer  accompanies  the  ceremony  in  each 
case." 

Like  remote  and  uncivilized  tribes  the  world  over, 
the  Laos  are  extremely  and  fanatically  superstitious. 
Their  fears  of  the  supernatural  are  far  more  influen- 
tial in  directing  their  daily  lives  than  their  respect 
for  the  doctrines  and  practices  of  Buddhism,  which 
is  their  accepted  religion.  An  interesting  account  of 
one  of  their  ruling  delusions  is  quoted  from  Mr. 
Holt  Hallett's  article  on  Zimme  (Cheung  Mai)  in 
Blackwood '«  Magazine  for  September.  1889.  "  The 
method  practised  when  consulting  the  beneficent 
spirits — who  like  mortals  are  fond  of  retaliating  when 
provoked — is  as  follows :  When  the  physician's 
skill  has  been  found  incapable  of  mastering  a  disease, 
a  spirit-medium — a  woman  who  claims  to  be  in  com- 
munion with  the  spirits — is  called  in.  After  array- 
ing herself  fantastically,  the  medium  sits  on  a  mat 
that  has  been  spread  for  her  in  the  front  veranda, 
and  is  attended  to  with  respect,  and  plied  with  ar- 


224  8IAM 

rack  by  the  people  of  the  house,  and  generally  accom- 
panied in  her  performance  by  a  band  of  village  musi- 
cians with  modulated  music.  Between  her  tipplings 
she  chants  an  improvised  doggerel,  which  includes 
frequent  incantations,  till  at  length,  in  the  excitement 
of  her  potations,  and  worked  on  by  her  song,  her 
body  begins  to  sway  about  and  she  becomes  frantic 
and  seemingly  inspired.  The  spirits  are  then  be- 
lieved to  have  taken  possession  of  her  body,  and  all 
her  utterances  from  that  time  are  regarded  as  those 
of  the  spirits. 

"On  showing  signs  of  being  willing-  to  answer 
questions,  the  relations  or  friends  of  the  sick  person 
beseech  the  spirits  to  tell  them  what  medicines  and 
food  should  be  given  to  the  invalid  to  restore  him  or 
her  to  health  ;  what  they  have  been  offended  at ;  and 
how  their  just  wrath  may  be  appeased.  Her  knowl- 
edge of  the  family  affairs  and  misdemeanors  generally 
enables  her  to  give  shrewd  and  brief  answers  to  the 
latter  questions.  She  states  that  the  Pee — in  this 
case  the  ancestral,  or,  perhaps,  village  spirits — are 
offended  by  such  an  action  or  actions,  and  that  to 
propitiate  them  such  and  such  offerings  should  be 
made.  In  case  the  spirits  have  not  been  offended, 
her  answers  are  merely  a  prescription,  after  which,  if 
only  a  neighbor,  she  is  dismissed  with  a  fee  of  two  or 
three  rupees  and,  being  more  or  less  intoxicated,  is 
helped  home.  In  case  the  spirit  medium's  prescrip- 
tion proves  ineffective,  and  the  person  gets  worse, 
witchcraft  is  sometimes  suspected  and  an  exorcist  is 
called  in.  The  charge  of  witchcraft  means  ruin  to 

o 

the   person   accused,  and   to  his  or  her  family.     It 


THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM         225 

arises  as  follows  :  The  ghost  or  spirit  of  witchcraft 
is  called  Pee-Kah.  No  one  professes  to  have  seen 
it,  but  it  is  said  to  have  the  form  of  a  horse,  from  the 
sound  of  its  passage  through  the  forest  resembling 
the  clatter  of  a  horse's  hoofs  when  at  full  gallop. 
These  spirits  are  said  to  be  reinforced  by  the  deaths 
of  very  poor  people,  whose  spirits  were  so  disgusted 
with  those  who  refused  them  food  or  shelter,  that 
they  determined  to  return  and  place  themselves  at 
the  disposal  of  their  descendants,  to  haunt  their  stingy 
and  hard-hearted  neighbors.  Should  anyone  rave 
in  delirium,  a  Pee-Kah  is  supposed  to  have  passed 
by.  Every  class  of  spirits — even  the  ancestral,  and 
those  that  guard  the  streets  and  villages — are  afraid 
of  the  Pee-Kah.  At  its  approach  the  household 
spirits  take  instant  flight,  nor  will  they  return  until  it 
lias  worked  its  will  and  retired,  or  been  exorcised. 
Yet  the  Pee-Kah  is,  as  I  have  shown,  itself  an  ances- 
tral spirit,  and  follows  as  their  shadow  the  son  and 
daughter  aa  it  followed  their  parents  through  their 
lives.  It  is  not  ubiquitous,  but  at  one  time  may  at- 
tend the  parent,  and  at  another  the  child,  when  both 
are  living.  Its  food  is  the  entrails  of  its  living  vic- 
tim, and  its  feast  continues  until  its  appetite  is  satis- 
fied, or  the  feast  is  cut  short  by  the  incantations  of 
the  spirit-doctor  or  exorcist.  Very  often  the  result  is 
the  death  of  its  victim.  When  the  witch-finder  is 
called  in  he  puts  on  a  knowing  look,  and  after  a  cur- 
sory examination  of  the  person,  generally  declares 
that  the  patient  is  suffering  from  a  Pee-Kah.  His 
task  is  then  to  find  out  whose  Pee-Kah  is  devouring 
the  invalid. 


226  SI  AM 

"  After  calling  the  officer  of  the  village  and  a  few 
headmen  as  witnesses,  he  commences  questioning  the 
invalid.  He  first  asks  '  Whose  spirit  has  bewitched 
you  ? '  The  person  may  be  in  a  stupor,  half  uncon- 
scious, half  delirious  from  the  severity  of  the  disease, 
and  therefore  does  not  reply.  A  pinch  or  a  stroke  of 
a  cane  may  restore  consciousness.  If  so,  the  question 
is  repeated  ;  if  not,  another  pinch  or  stroke  is  admin- 
istered. A  cry  of  pain  may  be  the  result.  That  is 
one  step  toward  the  disclosure  ;  for  it  is  a  curious  fact 
that,  after  the  case  has  been  pronounced  one  of  witch- 
craft, each  reply  to  the  question,  pinch,  or  stroke  is 
considered  as  being  uttered  by  the  Fee-Kali  through 
the  mouth  of  the  bewitched  person.  A  person  pinched 
or  caned  into  consciousness  cannot  long  endure  the 
torture,  especially  if  reduced  by  a  long  illness.  Those 
who  have  not  the  wish  or  the  heart  to  injure  anyone, 
often  refuse  to  name  the  wizard  or  witch  until  they 
have  been  unmercifully  beaten.  Or  the  sick  person 
naming  an  individual  as  the  owner  of  the  spirit,  other 
questions  are  asked,  such  as,  '  How  many  buffaloes 
has  he  ? '  '  How  many  pigs  ? '  '  How  many  chickens  ? ' 
'  How  much  money  ? '  etc.  The  answers  to  the  ques- 
tions are  taken  down  by  a  scribe.  A  time  is  then  ap- 
pointed to  meet  at  the  house  of  the  accused,  and  the 
same  questions  as  to  his  possessions  are  put  to  him. 
If  his  answers  agree  with  those  of  the  sick  person,  he 
is  condemned  and  held  responsible  for  the  acts  of  his 
ghost 

"  The  case  is  then  laid  before  the  judge  of  the  court, 
the  verdict  is  confirmed,  and  a  sentence  of  banishment 
is  passed  on  the  person  and  his  or  her  family.  The 


TUB  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SI  AM         227 

condemned  person  is  barely  given  time  to  sell  or  re- 
move his  property.  His  house  is  wrecked  or  burnt, 
and  the  trees  in  the  garden  cut  down,  unless  it  hap- 
pens to  be  sufficiently  valuable  for  a  purchaser  to 
employ  an  exorcist,  who  for  a  small  fee  will  render 
the  house  safe  for  the  buyer ;  but  it  never  fetches 
half  its  cost,  and  must  be  removed  from  the  haunted 
ground.  If  the  condemned  person  lingers  beyond 
the  time  that  has  been  granted  to  him,  his  house  is 
set  on  fire,  and,  if  he  still  delays,  he  is  whipped  out 
of  the  place  with  a  cane.  If  he  still  refuses  to  go,  or 
returns,  he  is  put  to  death. 

"  Some  years  ago  a  case  came  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  missionaries,  where  two  Karens  were  brought  to 
the  city  by  some  of  their  neighbors,  charged  with 
causing  the  death  of  a  young  man  by  witchcraft. 
The  case  was  a  clear  one  against  the  accused.  The 
young  man  had  been  possessed  of  a  musical  instru- 
ment, and  had  refused  to  sell  it  to  the  accused,  who 
wished  to  purchase  it.  Shortly  afterward  he  became 
ill  and  died  in  fourteen  days.  At  his  cremation,  a 
portion  of  his  body  would  not  burn,  and  was  of  a 
shape  similar  to  the  musical  instrument.  It  was  clear 
that  the  wizards  had  put  the  form  of  the  coveted  instru- 
ment into  his  body  to  kill  him.  The  Karens  were  be- 
headed, notwithstanding  that  they  protested  their  in- 
nocence, and  threatened  that  their  spirits  should  return 
and  wreak  vengeance  for  their  unjust  punishment.  In 
Mr.  Wilson's  opinion,  the  charge  of  witchcraft  often 
arises  from  envy  or  from  spite,  and  sickness  for  the 
purpose  of  revenge  is  sometimes  simulated.  A  neigh- 
bor wants  a  house  or  garden,  and  the  owner  either  re- 


228  8IAM 

quires  more  than  he  wishes  to  pay  or  refuses  to  sell. 
Covetousness  consumes  his  heart,  and  the  witch-ghost 
is  brought  into  action.  Then  the  covetous  person,  or 
his  child,  or  a  neighbor  falls  ill,  or  feigns  illness ;  the 
ailment  baffles  the  skill  of  the  physician,  and  the 
witch-finder  is  called  in.  Then  all  is  smooth  sailing, 
and  little  is  left  to  chance." 

The  following  paragraphs  from  the  same  article 
give  an  agreeable  picture  of  Cheung  Mai,  or  Zimme, 
the  chief  town  of  this  region,  and  the  headquarters 
of  an  important  branch  of  the  American  Presbyter- 
ian Mission. 

"  The  city  of  Zimme,  which  lies  430  yards  to  the 
west  of  the  river,  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the  one 
embracing  the  other  like  the  letter  L  on  the  south 
and  east  sides.  The  inner  city  faces  the  cardinal 
points,  and  is  walled  and  moated  all  round.  The 
walls  are  of  brick,  22  feet  high,  and  crenelated  at  the 
top,  where  they  are  3£  feet  broad.  The  moat  sur- 
rounding the  walls  is  30  feet  wide  and  7  feet  deep. 
The  outer  city  is  more  than  half  a  mile  broad,  and 
is  partly  walled  and  partly  palisaded  on  its  exterior 
sides.  Both  cities  are  entered  by  gates  leading  in 
and  out  of  a  fortified  courtyard.  The  inner  city  con- 
tains the  palace  of  the  head  king,  the  residences  of 
many  of  the  nobility  and  wealthy  men,  and  numer- 
ous religious  buildings.  In  the  outer  city,  which  is 
peopled  chiefly  by  the  descendants  of  captives,  the 
houses  are  packed  closer  together  than  in  the  inner 
one,  the  gardens  are  smaller,  the  religious  buildings 
fewer,  and  the  population  more  dense.  The  floors 
of  the  houses  are  all  raised  six  or  eight  feet  from  the 


THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM         229 

ground,  and  the  whole  place  has  an  air  of  trim  neat- 
ness about  it.  Dr.  Cheek  estimates  the  population 
of  the  area  covered  by  the  city  and  its  suburbs  at 
about  one  hundred  thousand  souls.  .  .  . 

"  It  is  a  pretty  sight  in  the  early  morning  to  watch 
the  women  and  girls  from  neighboring  villages 
streaming  over  the  bridge  on  their  way  to  the  mar- 
ket, passing  along  in  single  file,  with  their  baskets 
dangling  from  each  end  of  a  shoulder-bamboo,  or 
accurately  poised  on  their  heads.  The  younger 
women  move  like  youthful  Dianas,  with  a  quick, 
firm,  and  elastic  tread,  and  in  symmetry  of  form  re- 
semble the  ideal  models  of  Grecian  art.  The  ordi- 
nary costume  of  these  graceful  maidens  consists  of 
flowers  in  their  hair,  which  shines  like  a  raven's 
wing  and  is  combed  back  and  arranged  in  a  neat  and 
beautiful  knot ;  a  petticoat  or  skirt,  frequently  em- 
broidered near  the  bottom  with  silk,  worsted,  cotton, 
or  gold  and  silver  thread  ;  and  at  times  a  pretty  silk 
or  gauze  scarf  cast  carelessly  over  their  bosom  and 
one  shoulder.  Of  late  years,  moreover,  the  mis- 
sionaries have  persuaded  their  female  converts  and 
the  girls  in  their  schools  to  wear  a  neat  white  jacket, 
and  the  custom  is  gradually  spreading  through  the 
city  and  into  the  neighboring  villages.  The  elder 
women  wear  a  dark-blue  cotton  scarf  which  is  some- 
times replaced  by  a  white  cotton  spencer,  similar  to 
that  worn  by  married  ladies  in  Burmah,  and  have  an 
extra  width  added  to  the  top  of  their  skirt  which 
can  be  raised  and  tucked  in  at  the  level  of  the  arm- 
pit. On  gala  occasions  it  is  the  fashion  to  twine 
gold  chains  round  the  knot  of  their  hair,  and  like- 


230  SIAM 

wise  adorn  it  with  a  handsome  gold  pin.  The 
Shans  are  famous  for  their  gold  and  silver  chased 
work ;  and  beautifully  designed  gold  and  silver  or- 
naments, bracelets,  necklaces,  and  jewel-headed  cyl- 
inders in  their  ear-laps  are  occasionally  worn  by  the 
wealthier  classes." 

Xotices  of  the  wilder  tribes  who  inhabit  the  north- 
east of  Siam  are  extremely  inadequate,  the  region 
being  practically  unvisited  by  Europeans,  and  almost 
unknown  to  its  titular  sovereign,  the  king.  The 
French  expedition  under  Lagree  passed  through  the 
lower  edge  of  the  country  on  their  toilsome  journey 
up  the  Mekong  in  1867,  and  M.  de  Carne  furnishes 
us  with  some  particulars  of  the  natives  in  and  about 
the  chief  centre,  Luang  Phrabang.  "  One  must  go," 
he  says,  "to  the  market  to  judge  the  variety  of  cos- 
tumes and  types.  At  a  glance  at  this  mixed  popula- 
tion the  least  skilful  of  anthropologists  would  see 
beforehand  the  inextricable  confusion  of  races  and 
languages  which  he  will  meet  at  a  short  distance 
from  Luang-Praban.  lumbers  of  savages  who  have 
submitted  to  the  king  come  every  morning  to  the 
town  to  sell  or  buy.  They  live  in  the  mountains. 
Their  dress  is  extremely  simple  ;  so  much  so  that  it 
could  hardly  be  lessened.  .  .  .  The  Laotians, 
who  are  very  proud  of  their  half-civilization,  look  on 
these  savages  as  much  inferior  to  themselves,  and  in- 

o  * 

deed  as  almost  contemptible.  Every  group  of  three 
miserable  huts  of  theirs  has  a  name  of  its  own, 
known  in  the  neighborhood;  but  the  most  important 
village  of  the  people,  who  may  be  regarded  as  the 
original  owners  of  the  country,  is  called  by  the  com- 


THE  TfilHES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM         231 

mon  and  scornful  name  of  Ban-Kas  [or  Bang  Kha,] 
a  kraal  of  savages.  The  stranger  refuses  to  accept 
tliis  estimate  formed  by  perverted  pride.  The  sav- 
ai>es  are  hard  workers,  and  the  finest  fields  of  rice 

o  * 

and  noblest  herds  of  cattle  I  have  seen  have  been  in 
their  parts  of  the  country.  They  are  all  shy  at  first, 
but  they  are  easily  brought  to  be  familiar.  How 
often  have  I  in  my  walks  had  to  ask  these  children 
of  the  woods  for  shelter  from  the  sun,  or  water  to 
quench  my  thirst,  or  a  mat  on  which  to  forget  my 
fatigue !  They  did  not  understand  my  words,  but 
divined  with  the  quick  instinct  of  hospitality  the 
wants  which  brought  me  among  them,  and  hastened 
to  satisfy  them.  I  have  enjoyed  positive  feasts  in 
these  huts,  where  the  bamboo,  worked  in  a  hundred 
ways,  spread  all  the  luxury  before  me  it  could  dis- 
play ;  and  I  cannot  recall  without  gratitude  the  recol- 
lection of  a  collation  made  up  of  sticky  rice,  smoked 
iguana  legs,  and  pepper,  which  a  savage,  some  sixty 
years  of  age,  whom  I  met  in  the  forest,  to  whom  my 
long  beard  caused  astonishment  rather  than  fear, 
offered  me  one  day." 

This  was  during  the  Mohammedan  rebellion  in 
southern  China,  when  the  natives  south  of  the  em- 
pire enjoyed  a  comparative  degree  of  peace  and  pros- 
perity. Since  the  conclusion  of  this  and  the  Taiping 
insurrection,  and  the  sharp  conflict  of  the  French  in 
Annam,  great  numbers  of  Chinese,  many  of  them  the 
dregs  of  their  country,  have  flocked  to  this  wild  re- 
gion, and  under  their  different  "flags"  or  bands 
have  for  many  years  past  inflicted  untold  misery  in 
the  gradual  extermination  of  these  harmless  natives. 


232  SIAM 

The  devastators  of  this  beautiful  region  are  known 
generally  as  Haws.  Our  latest  and  most  exact  infor- 
mation about  them  comes  from  Mr.  McCarthy,  who 
was  sent  with  a  party  by  King  Chulalonkorn  to  in- 
vestigate the  raids  perpetrated  in  the  kingdom  by 
these  wandering  robbers.  "  The  term  Haw,"  he  in- 
forms us,  "  is  the  Lao  word  for  Chinamen,  but  it  is 
now  being  applied  to  those  worthies  who  employ 
their  time  in  plundering.  It  is  supposed  that  they 
were  originally  remnants  of  the  old  Taiping  rebel- 
lion, who  settled  in  Tonquin  and  lent  themselves  as 
soldiers  to  the  then  Annamite  governors.  In  time 
they  became  too  powerful  for  the  governors  and 
either  exacted  a  large  annual  payment  in  silver  or 
became  governors  themselves.  They  ranged  them- 
selves under  different  standards,  the  principal  colors 
of  which  were  black,  red,  yellow  and  striped  (red, 
white  and  blue).  The  name  of  the  chief  of  the  stand- 
ard was  written  in  Chinese  characters  on  the  prin- 
cipal one.  The  bands  were  composed  of  Chinese 
from  Yunnan,  Kwangsi,  and  Kwangtung  [the  three 
southern  provinces  of  China].  They  ravaged  the 
countries  near  them,  extending  their  operations 
yearly,  the  governors  of  which  used  to  employ  an- 
other band  to  revenge  their  wrongs  ;  and  in  this  way 
the  different  flags  were  constantly  fighting  one  against 
another  until  the  French  war  in  Tonquin,  when  they 
became  united  for  the  single  purpose  of  fighting  the 
French. 

"  It  was  the  Haws  of  the  striped  banner  who  over- 
ran Chiang  Kwang  or  Muang  Pnen  about  the  year 
1873,  and  extended  their  ravages  as  far  as  Kongkai 


THE  TRIBES  OF  NORTHERN  SIAM         233 

[on  the  bend  of  the  Mekong  in  about  latitude  18°] ; 
here,  however,  they  were  destroyed  by  the  Siamese. 
They  came  back,  and  the  same  Siamese  general, 
Phraya  Rat,  who  defeated  them  before,  was  sent 
against  them  again.  He  was  wounded,  however, 
shortly  after  making  his  attack  upon  their  position, 
and  the  Haws  eventually  escaped.  The  honor  of  de- 
stroying the  place  fell  to  Phra  Amarawasie,  the  son 
of  the  prime -minister,  who  has  done  credit  to  the 
training  he  received  at  the  Royal  Academy  of  Wool- 
wich. On  the  northeast  of  Luang  Phrabang,  Phraya 
Suri  Sak,  a  general  in  whom  the  king  has  always 
placed  implicit  trust,  has  been  operating  against  Black 
Flags  and  Yellow  Flags.  These  Black  Flags  are  excel- 
lently armed  with  Remingtons,  Martini-Henries,  Sni- 
ders,  and  repeating  rifles,  and  their  ammunition  is  of 
the  best,  being  all  solid  brass  cartridges  from  Kynoch 
of  Birmingham.  I  understand  that  an  arrangement 
has  been  entered  into  by  which  the  Haws  are  to  be 
suppressed  by  the  combined  action  of  the  French  and 
Siamese.  Let  us  hope  that  these  beautiful  countries 
will  soon  be  restored  to  prosperit}',  and  the  inhabi- 
tants left  free  to  lead  the  peaceful  lives  they  so  much 
desire."  * 

*  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Geographical  Society  for  March,  1888. 
16 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

SIAMESE  LIFE  AND   CUSTOMS 

'TVEIE  impression  which  most  travellers  in  Siam 
1  have  received  in  regard  to  the  moral  character- 
istics of  the  people  has  been  generally  favorable,  and 
is  on  the  whole  confirmed  by  the  judgment  of 
foreigners  who  have  been  longer  resident  among 
them.  They  have,  of  course,  the  defects  and  vices 
which  are  to  be  expected  in  a  half  savage  people, 
governed  through  many  generations  by  the  capricious 
tyranny  of  an  Oriental  despotism.  And  the  climate 
and  natural  conditions  of  the  country  are  not  suited 
to  develop  in  them  the  hardier  and  nobler  virtues. 
Industry  and  self-sacrifice  can  hardly  be  looked  for 
as  characteristics  of  people  to  whom  nature  is  so 
bountiful  as  to  require  of  them  no  exertion  to  provide 
either  food  or  raiment.  And,  on  the  other  hand, 
with  the  sloth  and  inactivity  to  which  nature  invites, 
the  animal  passions,  by  indulgence,  often  become 
fierce  and  overmastering.  But  it  seems  to  be  agreed 
that  if  the  Siamese  lack  the  industry  and  economy  of 
their  neighbors,  the  Chinese,  they  have  not  the  pas- 
sionate and  sometimes  treacherous  character  of  the 
Malays.  To  the  traveller  they  seem  inoffensive,  al- 
most to  timidity,  and  with  a  more  than  ordinary 
share  of  "natural  affection."  One  of  the  Roman 


SIAMESE  WOMEN. 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  235 

Catholic  missionaries,  quoted  in  Bowring,  says,  "  Par- 
ents know  how  to  make  themselves  extremely  be- 
loved and  respected,  and  Siamese  children  have  great 
docility  and  sweetness.  Parents  answer  to  princes 
for  the  conduct  of  their  -children  ;  they  share  in  their 
chastisements,  and  deliver  them  up  when  they  have 
offended.  If  the  son  takes  flight,  he  never  fails  to 
surrender  himself  when  the  prince  apprehends  his 
father  or  his  mother,  or  his  other  collateral  relations 
older  than  himself,  to  whom  he  owes  respect."  Bow- 
ring  himself  testifies  that  "  of  the  affection  of  par- 
ents for  children  and  the  deference  paid  by  the 
young  to  the  old,  we  saw  abundant  evidence  in  all 
classes  of  society.  Fathers  were  constantly  observed 
canning  about  their  offspring  in  their  arms,  and 
mothers  engaged  in  adorning  them.  The  king  was 
never  seen  in  public  by  us  without  some  of  his 
younger  children  near  him  ;  and  we  had  no  inter- 
course with  the  nobles  where  numbers  of  little  ones 
were  not  on  the  carpets,  grouped  around  their  elders, 
and  frequently  receiving  attention  from  them." 

The  large  sums  frequently  expended  in  the  decora- 
tion of  the  little  children  with  anklets  and  bracelets 
and  necklaces  and  chains  of  gold  (often  hundreds  of 
dollars  in  value  and  constituting  their  sole  costume), 
are  another  proof  of  the  same  parental  fondness. 
The  great  beauty  of  the  children  has  attracted  the 
notice  of  almost  all  travellers,  and  they  seem  as  ami- 
able as  they  are  beautiful.  Their  skins  are  colored 
with  a  fine  powder,  of  a  deep,  golden  color,  and  an 
aromatic  smell.  "  In  the  morning,  Siamese  mothers 
may  be  seen  industriously  engaged  in  yellowing  their 


236  SIAM 

offspring  from  head  to  heel.  So  universal  is  the 
custom,  that  in  caressing  the  children  of  the  king  or 
nobles,  you  may  be  certain  to  carry  away  yellow 
stains  upon  your  dress.  A  small  quantity  mingled 
with, quick-lime  makes  a  paste  of  a  bright  pink  color, 
of  which  the  consumption  is  so  large  for  spreading 
on  the  betel-leaves  which  are  used  to  wrap  around  the 
areca-nut,  that  I  have  seen  whole  boat-loads  moving 
about  for  sale  amidst  the  floating  bazaars  on  the 
Heinam.  This  curcuma  or  Indian  saffron  is  known 
to  be  the  coloring  matter  in  the  curries,  mulligatawn- 
ies and  chutnees  of  India  " — and  is  thus  seen  to  be 
available  for  the  inside  as  well  as  the  outside  of 
men. 

The  relations  between  the  sexes  seem  to  be  char- 
acterized by  propriety  and  decorum  ;  and  though 
polygamy  is  permitted  and  practised  by  the  higher 
classes,  and  divorce  is  easy  and  somewhat  frequent, 
yet,  "  on  the  whole,"  says  Bowring,  "  the  condition 
of  woman  is  better  in  Siamese  than  in  most  Oriental 
countries.  The  education  of  Siam  women  is  little  ad- 
vanced. Many  of  them  are  good  musicians,  but  their 
principal  business  is  to  attend  to  domestic  affairs. 
They  are  as  frequently  seen  as  men  in  charge  of  boats 
on  the  Meinam.  They  generally  distribute  alms  to 
the  bonzes,  and  attend  the  temples,  bringing  their  of- 
ferings of  flowers  and  fruit.  In  the  country  they  are 
busied  with  agricultural  pursuits.  They  have  seldom 
the  art  of  plying  the  needle,  as  the  Siamese  garments 
almost  invariably  consist  of  a  single  piece  of  cloth." 

Of  the  acuteness  and  wit  of  a  people,  the  best 
evidence  is  to  be  found  in  their  familiar  proverbs, 


SIAMESE   ROPE-DANCER. 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  237 

and  the  following  may  be  cited  (from  JBowring)  in 
illustration  of  their  shrewd  sense  and  Chinese  apti- 
tude for  seizing  nature's  hints. 

"  When  you  go  into  a  wood,  do  not  forget  your 
wood-knife. 

"  An  elephant  though  he  has  four  legs  may  slip ; 
and  a  doctor  is  not  always  right. 

"  Go  up  by  land,  you  meet  a  tiger ;  go  down  by 
water,  you  meet  a  crocodile. 

"  If  a  dog  bite  you,  do  not  bite  him  again." 

Between  the  luxury  and  splendor  of  the  king's 
court  and  the  poverty  of  the  common  people  there 
is  of  course  the  greatest  and  most  painful  contrast. 
The  palaces  of  the  king  are  filled  with  whatever  the 
wealth  and  power  of  their  owner  can  procure.  The 
hovels  of  the  common  peasants  are  bare  and  comfort- 
less, the  furniture  consisting  only  of  a  few  coarse 
vessels  of  earthenware  or  wicker-work,  and  a  mat  or 
two  spread  upon  the  floor.  In  houses  of  a  slightly 
better  class  will  be  found  carpenter's  tools,  a  movable 
oven,  various  cooking  utensils,  both  in  copper  and 
clay,  spoons  of  mother-of-pearl,  plates  and  dishes  in 
metal  and  earthenware,  and  a  large  porcelain  jar,  and 
another  of  copper  for  fresh  water.  There  is  also  a 
tea-set,  and  all  the  appliances  for  betel  chewing  and 
tobacco  smoking,  some  stock  of  provisions  and  con- 
diments for  food. 

Probably  the  most  reliable  witnesses  to  the  true 
character  of  the  Siamese  are  those  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries whose  lives  are  passed  in  intimate  associa- 
tion with  the  people  and  devoted  to  doing  them  good. 
From  a  recent  book  written  by  one  of  these,  Miss  M. 


238  SIAM 

L.  Cort,*  we  shall  obtain  a  fair  idea  of  life  in  Sian. 
and  of  certain  customs  dear  to  the  common  people. 

"  Women  enjoy  greater  liberty  than  in  almost  any 
other  Oriental  land.  You  meet  them  everywhere  ; 
and  in  the  bazaars  and  markets  nearly  all  the  buying 
and  selling  is  done  by  them.  As  servants  and  slaves, 
too,  they  are  seen  performing  all  sorts  of  labor  in  the 
open  streets.  Still,  they  are  downtrodden  and  con- 
sidered infinitely  inferior  to  men.  It  is  a  significant 
fact  that  although  boys  have  been  educated  for  past 
centuries  in  the  Buddhist  monasteries,  there  are  not 
and  have  never  been,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  any  native 
schools  for  girls.  Quite  a  number,  however,  learn  to 
read  in  their  own  families,  but  such  knowledge  is 
looked  upon  as  a  superfluous  accomplishment,  and 
they  are  not  encouraged  in  it,  neither  is  any  one 
ashamed  to  acknowledge  her  ignorance  of  books. 

"  The  Siamese  are  a  pleasant,  good-natured  people, 
but  lazy  and  indolent  to  the  utmost  degree,  and  vain, 
shallow,  and  self- conceited.  Their  greatest  vices  are 
lying,  gambling,  immorality,  and  intemperance,  al- 
though the  latter  is  strictly  forbidden  by  one  of  the 
commandments  in  their  Buddhist  decalogue." 

The  Siamese  are  deplorably  susceptible  to  the  evil 
effects  of  alcohol  and  opium.  Physically  they  are  a 
small  and  rather  weakly  race,  and  the  effect  of  strong 
drink  upon  them  is  shown  in  the  rapid  deterioration 
of  their  bodily  health ;  while  their  temperament,  which 
is  by  nature  light,  timid,  and  gay,  becomes  morose 
and  sullen  under  the  same  influence.  The  terrible 
inroads  which  were  at  one  time  made  on  the  health 

*  Siam :  or,  The  Heart  of  Farther  India.     New  York,  1886. 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND   CUSTOMS  239 

and  well-being  of  the  people  from  the  too-abundant 
use  of  arrack,  a  native  spirit  distilled  from  rice, 
brought  these  truths  vividly  before  the  minds  of  the 
authorities,  and  led  to  the  adoption  of  stringent 
regulations  affecting  the  sale  of  that  spirit,  to  the 
loss  and  much  to  the  regret  of  the  Chinese  dealers 
who  had  acquired  a  monopoly  of  the  trade.  A  still 
more  determined  crusade  was  undertaken  against 
opium-smoking,  which  was  even  held  to  be  a  black- 
er and  more  pernicious  habit  than  swilling  arrack. 
Strict  laws  prohibiting  the  practice  were  passed  and 
enforced ;  and  any  ill-starred  Siamese  now  found 
pipe  in  hand  has  the  choice  given  him  of  either  de- 
nationalizing himself  by  adopting  the  Chinese  pig- 
tail, and  paying  an  annual  tax  as  an  alien,  or  of  suffer- 
ing death.  In  this  traffic  also  the  purveyors  are 
Chinese,  who,  while  protesting,  perhaps  too  much, 
against  the  importation  of  the  drug  into  their  own 
country,  show  no  compunction  whatever  in  distribut- 
ing it  broadcast  among  the  people  of  other  nations. 
Returning  to  Miss  Cort's  account :  "  The  dress  of 

d>  / 

the  Siamese,"  she  writes,"  is  very  simple  and  comfort- 
able, consisting  of  a  waist-cloth,  jacket,  and  scarf,  and 
sometimes  a  hat  and  sandals.  If  all  would  at  all 
times  wear  the  native  dress  there  would  be  no  oc- 
casion for  fault-finding.  But  as  a  nation  they  do  not 
know  what  shame  is,  and  as  the  climate  is  mild  and 
pleasant,  and  the  majority  of  the  people  poor  and 
careless,  their  usual  dress  consists  of  a  simple  waist- 
cloth,  adjusted  in  a  very  loose  and  slovenly  manner ; 
while  many  children  until  they  are  ten  or  twelve  years 
old  wear  no  clothing  whatever.  When  foreigners  first 


240  SIAM 

arrive  in  Siam  they  are  shocked  almost  beyond  endur- 
ance at  the  nudity  of  the  people ;  and  although  they 
constantly  preach  a  gospel  of  dress,  their  influence  in 
this  respect  seems  less  apparent  than  in  almost  any 
other.  Isot  until  Siam  is  clothed  need  she  expect  a 
place  among  respectable,  civilized  nations. 

"  The  old-fashioned  shave,  which  left  a  patch  of 
stiff  bristles  on  the  top  of  the  head,  like  a  shoe- 
brush,  is  no  longer  the  universal  style.  European 
trims  are  fashionable  in  the  capital,  and  some  of  the 
young  men  are  trying  to  cultivate  the  mustache,  while 
the  women  let  their  hair  cover  the  whole  head  and 
dress  it  with  cocoanut  oil.  They  shave  their  foreheads, 
rub  beeswax  on  their  lips,  powder  their  faces,  and 
perfume  their  bodies.  They  bend  their  joints  back 
and  forth  to  make  them  supple,  and  give  the  elbow  a 
peculiarly  awkward  twist  which  they  consider  very 
graceful. 

"  Their  salutations  are  decidedly  peculiar.  The 
old  style  is  to  get  down  on  all  fours,  and  then  resting 
on  the  knees,  raise  the  clasped  hands  three  times 
above  the  head,  and  also  bow  the  head  forward  until 
the  brow  touches  the  floor.  They  kiss  with  their 
noses,  by  pressing  them  against  their  friends',  and  say- 
ing 'Very  fragrant,  very  fragrant !'  while  they  take 
long,  satisfied  sniffs.  Many  are  now  learning  to  shake 
hands  and  make  graceful  bows  like  Europeans,  but 
the  imported  kiss  is  not  yet  in  vogue,  and  I  do  not 
see  that  it  ever  can  be  until  betel  is  discarded,  for  at 
present  the  nose  is  a  more  kissable  feature  of  the 
Siamese  face  than  the  mouth. 

"  The  people  are  exceedingly  fond  of  jewelry,  and 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  241 

often  their  gold  chains  and  rings  are  the  only  adorn- 
ment the  body  can  boast.  Many  a  young  girl  refuses 
to  wear  a  jacket  because  it  would  cover  up  her  chains, 
which  are  worn  as  a  hunter  carries  his  game-bag,  over 
one  shoulder  and  under  the  arm.  She  prefers  a  scarf 
which  she  can  arrange  and  rearrange,  and  thus  display 
the  glitter  of  her  golden  ornaments.  They  wear  a 
great  many  gold  rings,  and  their  ear-rings  are  often 
costly  and  beautiful.  They  also  have  gold  armlets 
and  anklets  and  charms  encircling  neck  and  waist,  and 
the  higher  ranks  now  wear  gold  girdles  with  jewelled 
clasps.  The  jewelry  is  of  odd  and  unique  designs — 
snake-bracelets ;  necklaces  of  gold  turtles,  fish  and 
flowers,  set  with  gems ;  dragon-headed  rings,  with 
diamond,  emerald,  or  ruby  eyes,  and  a  tongue  that 
moves.  Some  rings  have  little  birds  poised  upon 
them,  with  out-spread  wings  and  sparkling  with 
jewels;  golden  elephants,  and  many  other  rich  and 
costly  designs.  .  .  . 

"All  ordinary  Siamese  houses  must  have  three 
rooms ;  indeed,  so  important  is  this  number  consid- 
ered to  the  comfort  of  the  family,  that  the  suitor  must 
often  promise  to  provide  three  rooms  ere  the  parents 
will  let  him  claim  his  bride.  There  is  the  common 
bedroom,  an  outer  room  where  they  sit  during  the  day 
and  receive  their  visitors,  and  the  kitchen.  Let  me 
begin  at  the  latter  and  try  to  describe  the  dirty,  dingy 
place.  Having  no  godliness,  the  next  thing  to  it,  clean- 
liness, is  entirely  lacking.  There  is  a  rude  box  filled 
with  earth,  where  they  build  the  fire  and  do  what 
they  call  the  cooking ;  that  is,  they  boil  rice  and  make 
curry,  and  roast  fish  and  bananas  over  the  coals.  There 


242  SIAM 

is  no  making  of  bread  or  pie,  of  cake  or  pudding ;  no 
roasts,  no  gravies,  no  soups.  Even  vegetables  are 
seldom  cooked  at  home,  but  are  prepared  by  others 
and  sold  in  the  markets,  or  peddled  in  the  streets. 
There  they  buy  boiled  sweet  potatoes,  green  corn,  and 
preserved  fruits,  curries,  roasted  fish,  and  ants,  pea- 
nuts, and  bananas,  sliced  pineapples,  and  melons,  and 
squash.  Pickled  onions  and  turnips  are  sold  in  the 
streets  of  Bangkok  just  as  pickled  beets  are  in  Da- 
mascus. Curry  is  made  of  all  sorts  of  things,  but  is 
usually  a  combination  of  meat  or  fish,  and  vegetables. 
If  you  want  an  English  name  for  it  that  all  can  un- 
derstand, you  must  call  it  a  stew.  The  ingredients 
are  chopped  very  fine  or  pounded  in  a  mortar,  espe- 
cially the  red  peppers,  onions,  and  spices.  The  pre- 
dominant flavor  is  red  pepper,  so  hot  and  fiery  that 
your  mouth  will  smart  and  burn  for  half  an  hour  after 
yon  have  eaten  it.  Still  many  of  the  curries  are  very 
good,  and  with  steamed  rice  furnish  a  good  meal.  But 
sometimes  a  '  broth  of  abominable  things  is  in  their 
vessels,'  as  for  instance,  when  they  make  curry  of  rats 
or  bats,  or  of  the  flesh  of  animals  that  have  died  of 
disease,  and  they  flavor  it  with  kapick,  a  sort  of  rot- 
ten fish,  of  which  all  Siamese  are  inordinately  fond. 
It  is  unrivalled  in  strength  of  fragrance  and  flavor. 
Siam  is  unique  in  that  she  possesses  two  of  the  most 
abominable  things,  and  yet  the  most  delicious,  if  we 
believe  what  we  hear,  and  they  are  the  durian,  a  large 
fruit  found  only  on  this  peninsula,  and  'kapick,'  which 
I  hope  is  not  found  anywhere  outside  of  Siam. 

"  There  is  no  regularity  about  their  meals,  and  they 
do  not  wait  for  one  another,  but  eat  when  they  get 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  243 

hungry.  In  the  higher  families  the  men  always  eat 
first  and  by  themselves,  and  the  wives  and  children 
and  dogs  take  what  is  left.  The  usual  rule  is  for  each 
one  to  wash  his  own  rice-bowl,  and  turn  it  upside  down 
in  a  basket  in  a  corner  of  the  kitchen,  there  to  drip 
and  dry  till  the  next  time  it  is  needed.  They  eat  with 
their  fingers,  very  few  having  so  much  even  as  a  spoon. 

"  The  kitchen  floors  are  nearly  all  made  of  split 
bamboos,  with  great  cracks  between,  through  which 
they  pour  all  the  slops  and  push  the  dirt,  so  there  is 
no  sweeping  or  scrubbing  to  do.  Xear  the  door  are 
several  large  earthen  jars  for  water,  which  are  filled 
from  the  river  by  the  women  or  servants  as  often  as 
they  get  empty,  and  here  they  wash  their  feet  before 
they  enter  the  house.  They  also  use  brass  basins  and 
trays  a  great  deal,  but  for  lack  of  scouring  they  are 
discolored  and  green  with  verdigris,  and  I  cannot  help 
thinking  the  use  of  such  vessels  is  one  fruitful  source 
of  the  dreadful  sores  and  eruptions  with  which  the 
whole  nation  is  afflicted." 

It  would  be  hopeless  to  endeavor  to  describe  all 
the  peculiarities  of  native  fashion  and  thought,  many 
of  which,  indeed,  are  already  disappearing  under  the 
advancing  tide  of  western  civilization.  Like  all  idol- 
atrous nations,  the  people  are  subject  to  rank  super- 
stitions and  curious  fancies,  some  of  them  gross  or 
brutal,  but  more  often  whimsical  in  their  extrava- 
gance. To  express,  for  example,  the  duration  of  a 
kop,  one  of  the  divisions  of  eternity,  they  say  that 
when  a  stone  ten  miles  square,  which  is  visited  once 
a  century  by  an  angel  who  brushes  it  with  a  gossa- 
mer web,  is  finally  worn  away,  then  a  kop  is  com- 


244  SIAM 

pleted.  Compared  with  other  Asiatic  nations,  the 
Siamese  cannot  be  called  cruel,  what  pain  they  in- 
flict comes  iu  most  cases  from  ignorance  or  obtuse- 
ness,  seldom  from  wantonness.  Punishments,  of 
course,  involve  whipping,  and  in  capital  offences  the 
victim  loses  his  head  in  the  old-fashioned  way.  But, 
Miss  Cort  tells  us,  "  after  taking  a  soothing  draught, 
provided  by  merciful  Buddhists  who  wish  to  make 
merit,  the  victim's  eyes  are  bandaged  and  his  ears 
stuffed  with  mud,  and  thus  he  is  at  least  partially 
unconscious  of  the  stroke  that  destroys  his  life.  .  . 
Some  offenders,  instead  of  being  executed,  are  de- 
graded from  all  titles  and  rank,  and  condemned  to 
cut  grass  for  elephants  for  life.  They  are  branded 
on  the  forehead,  and  have  to  cut  the  .grass  them- 
selves ;  no  one  is  allowed  to  help  them,  nor  can  they 
buy  it  with  their  own  money."  A  glance  at  the 
customs  connected  with  birth,  marriage,  and  death 
will  be  interesting,  and  will  serve  to  illustrate  the 
peculiarities  of  Siamese  life. 

"  Marriages,"  says  Sir  John  Bowring,  "  are  the 
subject  of  much  negotiation,  undertaken,  not  directly 
by  the  parents,  but  by  '  go-betweens,'  nominated  by 
those  of  the  proposed  bridegroom,  who  make  pro- 
posals to  the  parents  of  the  intended  bride.  A 
second  repulse  puts  the  extinguisher  on  the  attempt- 
ed treaty ;  but  if  successful,  a  large  boat,  gayly 
adorned  with  flags  and  accompanied  by  music,  is 
laden  with  garments,  plate,  fruits,  betel,  etc.  In  the 
centre  is  a  huge  cake  or  cakes,  in  the  form  of  a 
pyramid,  printed  in  bright  colors.  The  bridegroom 
accompanies  the  procession  to  the  house  of  his  future 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  245 

father  in-law,  where  the  lady's  dowry  and  the  day 
for  the  celebration  of  the  marriage  are  fixed.  It  is 
incumbent  on  the  bridegroom  to  erect  or  to  occupy  a 
house  near  that  of  his  intended,  and  a  month  or  two 
must  elapse  before  he  can  carry  away  his  bride.  No 
religious  rites  accompany  the  marriage,  though 
bonzes  are  invited  to  the  feast,  whose  duration  and 
expense  depend  upon  the  condition  of  the  parties. 
Music  is  an  invariable  accompaniment.  Marriages 
take  place  early ;  I  have  seen  five  generations 
gathered  round  the  head  of  a  family.  I  asked  the 
senior  Somdetch  how  many  of  his  descendants  lived 
in  his  palace ;  he  said  he  did  not  know,  but  there 
were  a  hundred  or  more.  It  was  indeed  a  frequent 
answer  to  the  inquiry  in  the  upper  ranks,  '  What 
number  of  children  and  grandchildren  have  you  ? ' 
'Oh,  multitudes;  we  cannot  tell  how  many.'  I  in- 
quired of  the  first  king  how  many  children  had  been 
born  to  him ;  he  said,  '  Twelve  before  I.  entered  the 
priesthood,  and  eleven  since  I  came  to  the  throne.' 
I  have  generally  observed  that  a  pet  child  is  selected 
from  the  group  to  be  the  special  recipient  of  the 
smiles  and  favors  of  the  head  of  the  race. 

"  Though  wives  or  concubines  are  kept  in  any 
number  according  to  the  wealth  or  will  of  the  hus- 
band, the  wife  who  has  been  the  object  of  the  mar- 
riage ceremony,  called  the  Khan  mak,  takes  prece- 
dence of  all  the  rest,  and  is  really  the  sole  legitimate 
spouse  ;  and  she  and  her  descendants  are  the  only 
legal  heirs  to  the  husband's  possessions.  Marriages 
are  permitted  beyond  the  first  degree  of  aifinity. 
Divorce  is  easily  obtained  on  application  from  the 


246  SIAM 

woman,  in  which  case  the  dowry  is  restored  to  the 
wife.  If  there  be  only  one  child,  it  belongs  to  the 
mother,  who  takes  also  the  third,  fifth,  and  all  those 
representing  odd  numbers ;  the  husband  has  the 
second,  fourth,  etc.  A  husband  may  sell  a  wife  that 
he  has  purchased,  but  not  one  who  lias  brought  him 
a  dowry.  If  the  wife  is  a  party  to  contracting  debts 
on  her  husband's  behalf,  she  may  be  sold  for  their 
redemption,  but  not  otherwise." 

One  natural  result  of  polygamy  is,  not  only  to  take 
away  from  the  beauty  and  dignity  of  the  marriage 
relation,  but  also  to  lessen  the  amount  of  ceremony 
with  which  the  marriage  is  celebrated.  A  Siamese 
of  the  higher  class  is  generally  "  so  much  married," 
that  it  is  hardly  worth  his  while  to  make  much  fuss 
about  it,  or  indulge  in  much  parade  on  the  occasion. 
Accordingly  the  ceremonial  would  seem  to  be  much 
less  than  that  of  burial.  For  a  man  can  die  but  once, 
and  his  funeral  is  not  an  event  to  be  many  times  re- 
peated. 

A  singular  custom  connected  with  childbirth  is  de- 
scribed by  Dr.  Bradley,  a  former  American  mission- 
ary. The  occasion  was  the  first  confinement  of  the 
wife  .of  the  late  second  king,  in  the  year  1835.  Dr. 
Bradley  was  dining  with  a  party  of  f  riends  at  the 
house  of  the  Portuguese  consul.  He  says :  "  Just 
before  we  rose  from  table,  a  messenger  from  Prince 
Chowfah-noi  [the  late  second  king]  came,  apologiz- 
ing for  his  master's  absence  from  the  dinner,  and  re- 
questing my  attendance  on  his  wife  in  her  first  par- 
turition. The  call  for  me,  although  silently  given, 
was  quickly  understood  by  all  the  party,  and  the  in- 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  247 

terest  which  it  excited  was  of  no  ordinary  character, 
because  it  indicated  a  violation  of  the  sacred  rules, 
absurdities,  and  cruelties  of  Siamese  midwifery,  and 
that  too  by  the  second  man  in  the  kingdom. 

"I  was  obedient  to  the  call,  and  was  forthwith 
conducted  thither  in  H.  ft.  Ilighness's  boat  after 
I  had  accompanied  my  wife  to  our  home.  The 
prince  was  at  the  landing  awaiting  my  arrival.  His 
salutation  in  English  was  most  expressive,  indicating 
peculiar  pleasure  in  seeing  me,  informing  me  that 
his  wife  had  given  birth  to  a  daughter  a  little  before 
my  arrival,  and  saying  that  in  accordance  with  Siam- 
ese custom,  she  was  lying  by  a  fire.  He  expressed 
great  abhorrence  of  the  custom,  and  desired  me  to  pre- 
vail upon  his  friends  and  the  midwives  to  dispense 
with  it,  and  substitute  the  English  custom.  To  con- 
firm him  still  more  in  his  opinion  that  the  English 
custom  was  incomparably  the  best,  I  spread  before 
him  many  arguments  and  appealed  to  humanity  it- 
self. He  appeared  to  enter  fully  into  my  views,  say- 
ing that  his  wife  was  of  the  same  opinion,  but  ex- 
pressed much  fear  that  no  improvement  could  be 
made  in  her  situation  in  consequence  of  the  influence 
of  the  ex-queen,  his  mother,  and  princesses  and  mid- 
wives. 

"  I  was  not  allowed  to  see  his  wife  until  after  his 
mother  and  princesses  had  retired,  which  was  not  till 
quite  late  in  the  evening.  The  prince  went  a  little 
time  before  me  to  prepare  the  way,  and  then  sent 
his  chamberlain  to  conduct  me  to  the  house  of  his 
wife,  where  he  received  me  and  led  me  to  the  bed- 
side of  his  suffering  companion.  She  was  surrounded 


248  SIAM 

by  a  multitude  of  old  women  affecting  wondrous  wis- 
dom in  the  treatment  of  their  patient.  The  fiery  or- 
deal had  indeed  commenced,  and  the  poor  woman 
was  doomed  to  lie  before  a  hot  fire  a  full  month.  I 
found  the  mother  lying  on  a  narrow  wooden  bench 
without  a  cushion,  elevated  above  the  floor  eight  or 
ten  inches,  with  her  bare  back  exposed  to  a  hot  fire 
about  eighteen  inches  distant.  The  fire,  I  presume 
to  say,  was  sufficiently  hot  to  have  roasted  a  spare-lib 
at  half  the  distance.  Having  lain  a  little  time  in  this 
position,  she  was  rolled  over  and  had  her  abdomen 
exposed  to  the  flame. 

"With  all  the  reasoning  and  eloquence  I  could 
employ,  both  through  the  prince  and  speaking  di- 
rectly to  them,  I  could  not  persuade  the  ignorant 
women  that  it  would  be  prudent  to  suspend  their 
course  of  treatment,  even  for  a  night,  so  that  the 
sufferer  might  have  a  little  quiet  rest  on  a  comfort- 
able bed.  They  said  that,  the  plan  of  treatment 
which  I  proposed  was  entirely  new  to  them,  and  that 
I  was  also  a  stranger,  and  therefore  it  would  not  do 
at  all  to  expose  so  honorable  a  personage  to  the  dan- 
gers of  an  experiment. 

"  The  prince  then  informed  me  that  this  amount 
of  fire  was  to  be  continued  three  days,  after  which 
its  intensity  would  have  to  be  doubled,  and  continued 
for  30  days,  as  it  was  the  mother's  first  child.  The 
custom,  he  said,  is  to  abridge  the  term  to  25,  20,  18, 
15,  and  11  days,  according  to  the  number  of  children 
the  woman  has  had. 

"  Having  had  a  look  at  the  infant  princess  lying 
in  a  neatly-curtained  bed,  I  retired  from  the  place 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS 

with  scarcely  any  expectation  that  my  visit  would  ef- 
fect any  immediate  good. 

"  I  visited  Chowfah-noi  the  next  evening  in  com- 
pany with  Mrs.  B.  The  thought  had  occurred  to  me 
that  she  could  probably  exert  more  influence  with  the 
females  than  I  could,  and  that  possibly  she  might  in- 
duce them  to  adopt  my  plan  of  practice  in  relation  to 
the  mother  and  the  child.  We  were  heartily  wel- 
comed by  his  royal  highness,  who  first  took  much 
pleasure  in  showing  us  all  his  curiosities,  and  then 
gave  us  an  interview  with  his  lady.  She  was  still 
lying  by  a  hot  fire,  and  complained  much  of  soreness 
of  the  hips  from  pressure  on  the  hard  couch.  At 
first  she  seemed  to  be  somewhat  abashed  at  the  pres- 
ence of  Mrs.  B.,  whom  she  had  never  before  seen. 
But  it  was  not  long  ere  that  was  all  exchanged  for  a 
good  degree  of  intimacy,  seeing  that  she  was  a  woman 
like  herself.  Mrs.  B.  prevailed  on  her  to  take  some 
of  my  medicine  and  to  have  the  child  put  to  the 
breast  of  its  mother  instead  of  giving  it  up  to  a  wet- 
nurse.  But  though  she  made  the  experiment  in  our 
presence,  there  was  no  reason  to  think  that  it  was 
continued. 

"  Two  days  later  the  prince  sent  for  me  in  great 
haste,  about  2  P.M.,  to  see  his  wife  and  child.  I  has- 
tened to  the  palace,  but  was  too  late  to  do  anything 
for  the  child,  as  it  had  died  a  little  before  my  arrival. 
The  prince  was  evidently  much  affected  at  the  death 
of  his  first-born,  and  there  was  much  weeping  among 
the  relatives  and  servants,  who  had  congregated  in 
multitudes  in  apartments  adjacent  to  the  room  which 
the  mother  occupied.  The  prince  was  very  anxious 
17 


250  S1AM 

concerning  his  wife,  and  seemed  to  wish  with  all  his 
heart  to  have  her  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  native 
physicians  and  placed  under  my  care.  This  he  la- 
bored indefatigably  to  accomplish  for  more  than  two 
hours,  while  I  waited  for  the  result.  But  to  his 
sorrow  he  at  length  reported  that  he  could  not  suc- 
ceed, and  said  that  his  mother  and  sisters  and  phy- 
sicians, together  with  a  multitude  of  conceited  and 
headstrong  old  women,  were  too  much  for  him,  and 
that  he  would  be  obliged  to  allow  them  to  go  on  in 
their  own  way,  however  hazardous  the  consequences. 
He  wished  me  to  give  him  the  privilege  of  sending  for 
me  if  his  wife  should  by  her  own  physicians  be  con- 
sidered in  a  dangerous  way.  I  had  declined  doing  any- 
thing in  the  case  unless  I  could  have  the  entire  care 
of  the  patient,  fearing  that  if  I  attempted  to  admin- 
ister while  the  native  means  were  being  employed, 
I  should  bring  reproach  both  upon  European  medi- 
cal practice,  and  the  dear  cause  which  I  had  espoused." 
"  Shaving  the  hair  tuft  of  children  is  a  great  fam- 
ily festival,  to  which  relations  and  friends  are  in- 
vited, to  whom  presents  of  cakes  and  fruits  are  sent. 
A  musket-shot  announces  the  event.  Priests  recite 
prayers,  and  wash  the  head  of  the  young  person,  who 
is  adorned  with  all  the  ornaments  and  jewels  accessi- 
ble to  the  parents.  Music  is  played  during  the  cere- 
mony, which  is  performed  by  the  nearest  relatives  ; 
and  congratulations  are  addressed,  with  gifts  of  sil- 
ver, to  the  newly  shorn.  Sometimes  the  presents 
amount  to  large  sums  of  money.  Dramatic  repre- 
sentations among  the  rich  accompany  the  festivity, 
which  in  such  case  lasts  for  several  days. 


BUILDING    ERECTED    AT   FUNERAL   OF    SIAMESE    OF   HIGH    RANK. 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  251 

"Education  begins  with  the  shaving  the  tuft,  and 
the  boys  are  then  sent  to  the  pagodas  to  be  instructed 
by  the  bonzes  in  reading  and  writing,  and  in  the  dog- 
mas of  religion.  They  give  personal  service  in  re- 
turn for  the  education  they  receive.  That  education 
is  worthless  enough,  but  every  Siamese  is  condemned 
to  pass  a  portion  of  his  life  in  the  temple,  which 
many  of  them  never  afterward  quit.  Hence,  the 
enormous  supply  of  an  unproductive,  idle,  useless 
race. 

"  When  a  Thai'  (Siamese)  is  at  the  point  of  death 
the  talapoins  are  sent  for,  who  sprinkle  lustral  water 
upon  the  sufferer,  recite  passages  which  speak  of  the 
vanity  of  earthly  things  from  their  sacred  books,  and 
cry  out,  repeating  the  exclamation  in  the  ears  of  the 
dying,  '  Arahang  !  arahang  ! '  (a  mystical  word  im- 
plying the  purity  or  exemption  of  Buddha  from  con- 
cupiscence). When  the  dying  has  heaved  his  last 
breath  the  whole  family  utter  piercing  cries,  and  ad- 
dress their  lamentations  to  the  departed  :  '  O  father 
benefactor  !  why  leave  us  ?  What  have  we  done  to 
offend  you  ?  Why  depart  alone  ?  It  was  your  own 
fault.  Why  did  you  eat  the  fruit  that  caused  the 
dysentery  ?  We  foretold  it ;  why  did  not  you  listen 
to  us  ?  O  misery !  O  desolation  !  O  inconstancy 
of  human  affairs ! '  And  they  fling  themselves  at 
the  feet  of  the  dead,  weep,  wail,  kiss,  utter  a  thou- 
sand tender  reproaches,  till  grief  has  exhausted  its 
lamentable  expressions.  The  body  is  then  washed 
and  enveloped  in  white  cloth  ;  it  is  placed  in  a  coffin 
covered  with  gilded  paper,  and  decorated  with  tinsel 
flowers.  A  dais  is  prepared,  ornamented  with  the 


252  SIAM 

same  materials  as  the  coffin,  but  with  wreaths  of  flow- 
ers and  a  number  of  wax-lights.  After  a  day  or  two 
the  coffin  is  removed,  not  through  the  door,  but 
through  an  opening  specially  made  in  the  wall  ;  the 
coffin  is  escorted  thrice  round  the  house  at  full  speed, 
in  order  that  the  dead,  forgetting  the  way  through 
which  lie  has  passed,  may  not  return  to  molest  the 
living.  The  coffin  is  then  taken  to  a  large  barge, 
and  placed  on  a  platform,  surmounted  by  the  dais,  to 
the  sound  of  melancholy  music.  The  relations  and 
friends,  in  small  boats,  accompany  the  barge  to  the 
temple  where  the  body  is  to  be  burnt.  Being  ar- 
rived, the  coffin  is  opened  and  delivered  to  the  offi- 
cials charged  with  the  cremation,  the  corpse  having 
in  his  mouth  a  silver  tical  (2s.  Qd.  in  value)  to  defray 
the  expenses.  The  burner  first  washes  the  face  of 
the  corpse  with  cocoanut  milk ;  and  if  the  deceased 
have  ordered  that  his  body  shall  be  delivered  to  vult- 
ures and  crows,  the  functionary  cuts  it  up  and  dis- 
tributes it  to  the  birds  of  prey  which  are  always  as- 
sembled in  such  localities.  The  corpse  being  placed 
upon  the  pile,  the  fire  is  kindled.  When  the  com- 
bustion is  over,  the  relatives  assemble,  collect  the 
principal  bones,  which  they  place  in  an  urn,  and  con- 
vey them  to  the  family  abode.  The  garb  of  mourn- 
ing is  white,  and  is  accompanied  by  the  shaving  of 
the  head.  The  funerals  of  the  opulent  last  for  two 
or  three  days.  There  are  fireworks,  sermons  from 
the  bonzes,  nocturnal  theatricals,  where  all  sorts  of 
monsters  are  introduced.  Seats  are  erected  within 
the  precincts  of  the  temples,  and  games  and  gambling 
accompany  the  rites  connected  with  the  dead." 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND   CUSTOMS  253 

At  the  death  of  any  member  of  the  royal  family 
the  funeral  ceremonies  become  a  matter  of  national 
importance.  If  it  is  the  king  who  is  dead  the  whole 
country  is  in  mourning ;  all  heads  are  shaved.  The 
ceremonies  at  the  cremation  of  the  body  of  the  late 
first  king  lasted  from  the  12th  of  March  (1870)  till 
the  21st  of  the  same  month.  The  king  of  Cheung- 
mai  came  from  his  distant  home  among  the  Laos  to 
be  present  on  the  occasion  ;  and  the  pomp  and  ex- 
pense of  the  ceremony,  for  which  preparations  had 
been  more  than  a  year  in  progress,  surpassed  any- 
thing that  had  been  known  in  the  history  of  Siam. 
The  following  description  of  the  funeral  of  one  of 
the  high  commissioners  who  negotiated  the  English 
treaty,  and  who  died  a  few  days  after  the  signing  of 
the  treaty,  was  furnished  to  Sir  John  Bowring  by 
an  eye-witness.  The  ceremonies  at  the  royal  funeral 
were  not  dissimilar,  though  on  a  more  extensive 
scale. 

"  The  building  of  the  men,  or  temple,  in  which 
the  burning  was  to  take  place,  occupied  four  months, 
during  the  whole  of  which  time  between  three  and 
four  hundred  men  were  constantly  engaged.  The 
whole  of  it  was  executed  under  the  personal  superin- 
tendence of  the  '  Kalahome.' 

"  It  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  a  more  beautiful 
object  than  this  temple  was,  when  seen  from  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river.  The  style  of  architecture 
was  similar  to  that  of  the  other  temples  in  Siam  ; 
the  roof  rising  in  the  centre,  and  thence  running 
down  in  a  series  of  gables,  terminating  in  curved 
points.  The  roof  was  covered  entirely  with  scarlet 


254  SIAM 

and  gold,  while  the  lower  part  of  the  building  was 
blue,  with  stars  of  gold.  Below,  the  temple  had  four 
entrances  leading  directly  to  the  pyre ;  upon  each 
side,  as  you  entered,  were  placed  magnificent  mir- 
rors, which  reflected  the  whole  interior  of  the  build- 
ing, which  was  decorated  with  blue  and  gold,  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  exterior.  From  the  roof  de- 
pended immense  chandeliers,  which  at  night  in- 
creased the  effect  beyond  description.  Sixteen  large 
columns,  running  from  north  to  south,  supported  the 
roof.  The  entire  height  of  the  building  must  have 
been  120  feet,  its  length  about  fifty  feet,  and  breadth 
forty  feet.  In  the  centre  was  a  raised  platform, 
about  seven  feet  high,  which  was  the  place  upon 
which  the  urn  containing  the  body  was  to  be  placed. 
Upon  each  side  of  this  were  stairs  covered  with  scarlet 
and  gold  cloth. 

"  This  building  stood  in  the  centre  of  a  piece  of 
ground  of  about  two  acres  extent,  the  whole  of  which 
ground  was  covered  over  with  close  rattan-work,  in 
order  that  visitors  might  not  wet  their  feet,  the 
ground  being  very  muddy. 

"  This  ground  was  enclosed  by  a  wall,  along  the  in- 
side of  which  myriads  of  lamps  were  disposed,  ren- 
dering the  night  as  light  as  the  day.  The  whole  of 
the  grounds  belonging  to  the  adjoining  temple  con- 
tained nothing  but  tents,  under  which  Siamese  plays 
were  performed  by  dancing-girls  during  the  day. 
During  the  night,  transparencies  were  in  vogue. 
Along  the  bank  of  the  river,  Chinese  and  Siamese 
plays  (performed  by  men)  were  in  great  force,  and 
to  judge  by  the  frequent  cheering  of  the  populace,  no 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  255 

small  talent  was  shown  by  the  performers,  which 
talent  in  Siam  consists  entirely  in  obscenity  and  vul- 
garity. 

"  All  approaches  were  blocked  long  before  day- 
light each  morning,  by  hundreds— nay,  thousands  of 
boats  of  every  description  in  Siam,  sampans,  mapet, 
matteng,  ma  guen,  etc.,  etc.;  these  were  filled  with 
presents  of  white  cloth,  no  other  presents  being  ac- 
cepted or  offered  during  a  funeral.  How  many  ship- 
loads of  fine  shirting  were  presented  during  those  few 
days  it  is  impossible  to  say.  Some  conception  of  the 
number  of  boats  may  be  had  from  the  fact  that,  in 
front  of  my  floating  house  I  counted  seventy-two 
large  boats,  all  of  which  had  brought  cloth. 

"  The  concourse  of  people  night  and  day  was  quite 
as  large  as  at  any  large  fair  in  England ;  and  the 
whole  scene,  with  the  drums  and  shows,  the  illumi- 
nations and  the  fireworks,  strongly  reminded  me  of 
Greenwich  Fair  at  night.  The  varieties  in  national 
costume  were  considerable,  from  the  long  flowing 
dresses  of  the  Mussulman  to  the  scanty  pan-hung 
of  the  Siamese. 

"  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  ceremonies,  when  I 
rose  at  daylight,  I  was  quite  surprised  at  the  number 
and  elegance  of  the  large  boats  that  were  dashing 
about  the  river  in  every  direction.  Some  of  them 
with  elegantly-formed  little  spires  (two  in  each  boat) 
of  a  snowy-white,  picked  out  with  gold,  others  with 
magnificent  scarlet  canopies  with  curtains  of  gold, 
others  filled  with  soldiers  dressed  in  red,  blue,  or 
green,  according  to  their  respective  regiments,  the 
whole  making  a  most  effective  tableau,  far  superior 


256  81AM 

to  any  we  had  during  the  time  the  embassy  was 
here. 

"  "Whilst  I  was  admiring  this  scene  I  heard  the  cry 
of  Scdet  (the  name  of  the  king  when  he  goes  out), 
and  turning  round,  beheld  the  fleet  of  the  king's 
boats  sweeping  down.  His  majesty  stopped  at  the 
men,  where  an  apartment  had  been  provided  for 
him.  The  moment  the  king  left  his  boat,  the  most 
intense  stillness  prevailed — a  silence  that  was  abso- 
lutely painful.  This  was,  after  the  lapse  of  a  few 
seconds,  broken  by  a  slight  stroke  of  a  tom-tom. 
At  that  sound  every  one  on  shore  and  in  the  boats 
fell  on  his  knees,  and  silently  and  imperceptibly 
the  barge  containing  the  high  priest  parted  from  the 
shore  at  the  Somdetch's  palace,  and  floated  with  the 
tide  toward  the  men.  This  barge  was  immediately 
followed  by  that  containing  the  urn,  which  was 
placed  upon  a  throne  in  the  centre  of  the  boat.  One 
priest  knelt  upon  the  lower  part  of  the  urn,  in  front, 
and  one  at  the  back.  (It  had  been  constantly 
watched  since  his  death.)  Kothing  could  exceed  the 
silence  and  immovability  of  the  spectators.  The  tales 
I  used  to  read  of  nations  being  turned  to  statues 
were  here  realized,  with  the  exception  that  all  had 
the  same  attitude.  It  was  splendid,  but  it  was  fear- 
ful. During  the  whole  of  the  next  day,  the  urn 
stayed  in  the  men,  in  order  that  the  people  might 
come  and  pay  their  last  respects. 

"  The  urn,  or  rather  its  exterior  cover,  was  com- 
posed of  the  finest  gold,  elegantly  carved  and  studded 
with  innumerable  diamonds.  It  was  about  five  feet 
high  and  two  feet  in  diameter. 


SIAMESE  LIFE  AND  CUSTOMS  257 

"Upon  the  day  of  the  burning  the  two  kings  ar- 
rived about  4  P.M.  The  golden  cover  was  taken  off, 
and  an  interior  urn  of  brass  now  contained  the  body, 
which  rested  upon  cross-bars  at  the  bottom  of  the  urn. 
Beneath  were  all  kinds  of  odoriferous  gums. 

"  The  first  king,  having  distributed  yellow  cloths 
to  an  indefinite  quantity  of  priests,  ascended  the  steps 
which  led  to  the  pyre,  holding  in  his  hand  a  lighted 
candle,  and  set  fire  to  the  inflammable  materials  be- 
neath the  body.  After  him  came  the  second  king, 
who  placed  a  bundle  of  candles  in  the  flames  ;  then 
followed  the  priests,  then  the  princes,  and  lastly  the 
relations  and  friends  of  the  deceased.  The  flames 
rose  constantly  above  the  vase,  but  there  was  no  un- 
pleasant smell. 

"  His  majesty,  after  all  had  thrown  in  their  can- 
dles, returned  to  his  seat,  where  he  distributed  to  the 
Europeans  a  certain  number  of  limes,  each  containing 
a  gold  ring  or  a  small  piece  of  money.  Then  he  com- 
menced scrambling  the  limes,  and  seemed  to  take  par- 
ticular pleasure  in  just  throwing  them  between  the 
princes  and  the  missionaries,  in  order  that  they  might 
meet  together  in  the  '  tug  of  war.' 

"  The  next  day  the  bones  were  taken  out,  and  dis- 
tributed among  his  relations,  and  this  closed  the  cer- 
emonies. During  the  whole  time  the  river  each  night 
was  covered  with  fireworks,  and  in  Siam  the  pyro- 
technic art  is  far  from  being  despicable." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  SIAM 

r  I  ^IIE  varieties  of  animal  and  vegetable  life  with 
1  which  the  tropics  everywhere  abound  are  in 
Siarn  almost  innumerable.  From  the  gigantic  ele- 
phant and  rhinoceros  in  the  jungle  to  the  petty  mos- 
quitoes that  infest  the  dwellings  and  molest  the  slum- 
bers of  the  crowded  city ;  from  the  gigantic  Indian 
fig-tree  to  the  tiniest  garden-blossom,  an  almost  infin- 
ite diversity  of  life  and  growth  invites  attention. 
The  work  of  scientific  observation  and  classification 
has  been,  as  yet,  only  very  imperfectly  accomplished. 
Much  has  been  done  by  the  missionaries,  especially 
by  Dr.  House  of  the  American  Presbyterian  Mission, 
who  is  a  competent  and  scientific  observer.  And  the 
lamented  Mouhot,  gathered  vast  and  valuable  collec- 
tions in  the  almost  unexplored  regions  to  which  he 
penetrated.  But  no  doubt  there  are  still  undiscovered 
treasures  of  which  men  of  science  will  presently  lay 
hold. 

"  Elephants,"  says  Bowring,  "  are  abundant  in  the 
forests  of  Siam,  and  grow  sometimes  to  the  height  of 
twelve  or  thirteen  feet.  The  habits  of  the  elephant 
are  gregarious  ;  bat  though  he  does  not  willingly  at- 
tack a  man,  he  is  avoided  as  dangerous ;  and  a  troop 
of  elephants  will,  when  going  down  to  a  river  to  drink, 


NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  SI  AM         259 

submerge  a  boat  and  its  passengers.  The  destruction 
even  of  the  wild  elephant  is  prohibited  by  royal 
orders,  yet  many  are  surreptitiously  destroyed  for  the 
sake  of  their  tusks.  At  a  certain  time  of  the  year 
tame  female  elephants  are  let  loose  in  the  forests. 
They  are  recalled  by  the  sound  of  a  horn,  and  return 
accompanied  by  wild  males,  which  they  compel,  by 
blows  of  the  proboscis,  to  enter  the  walled  prisons 
which  have  been  prepared  for  their  capture.  The 
process  of  taming  commences  by  keeping  them  for 
several  days  without  food.  Then  a  cord  is  passed 
round  their  feet,  and  they  are  attached  to  a  strong 
column.  The  delicacies  of  which  they  are  most  fond 
are  then  supplied  them,  such  as  sugar-canes,  plantains, 
and  fresh  herbs,  and  at  the  end  of  a  few  days  the 
animal  is  domesticated  and  resigned  to  his  fate. 

"  Without  the  aid  of  the  elephant  it  would  scarcely 
be  possible  to  traverse  the  woods  and  jungles  of  Siam. 
He  makes  his  way  as  he  goes,  crushing  with  his 
trunk  all  that  resists  his  progress ;  over  deep  morasses 
or  sloughs  he  drags  himself  on  his  knees  and  belly. 
When  he  has  to  cross  a  stream  he  ascertains  the 
depth  by  his  proboscis,  advances  slowly,  and  when  he 
is  out  of  his  depth  he  swims,  breathing  through  his 
trunk,  which  is  visible  when  the  whole  of  his  body  is 
submerged.  He  descends  into  ravines  impassable 
by  man,  and  by  the  aid  of  his  trunk  ascends  steep 
mountains.  His  ordinary  pace  is  about  four  to  five 
miles  an  hour,  and  he  will  journey  day  and  night  if 
properly  fed.  When  weary,  he  strikes  the  ground 
with  his  trunk,  making  a  sound  resembling  a  horn, 
which  announces  to  his  driver  that  he  desires  re- 


260  SIAM 

pose.  In  Siam  the  liowdah  is  a  great  roofed  basket, 
in  which  the  traveller,  with  the  aid  of  his  cushions, 
comfortably  ensconces  himself.  The  motion  is  dis- 
agreeable at  first,  but  ceases  to  be  so  after  a  little 
practice. 

"  Elephants  in  Siam  are  much  used  in  warlike  ex- 
peditions, both  as  carriers  and  combatants.  All  the 
nobles  are  mounted  on  them,  and  as  many  as  a  thou- 
sand are  sometimes  collected.  They  are  marched 
against  palisades  and  entrenchments.  In  the  late 
war  with  Cochin-China  the  Siamese  general  surprised 
the  enemy  with  some  hundreds  of  elephants,  to  whose 
tails  burning  torches  were  attached.  They  broke 
into  the  camp,  and  destroyed  more  than  a  thousand 
Cochin-Chinese,  the  remainder  of  the  army  escaping 
by  flight. 

"  Of  elephants  in  Siam,  M.  de  Brnguieres  gives 
some  curious  anecdotes.  He  says  that  there  was  one 
in  Bangkok  which  was  habitually  sent  by  his  keeper 
to  collect  a  supply  of  food,  which  he  never  failed  to 
do,  and  that  it  was  divided  regularly  between  his 
master  and  himself  on  his  return  home  ;  and  that 
there  was  another  elephant,  which  stood  at  the  door 
of  the  king's  palace,  before  whom  a  large  vessel 
filled  with  rice  was  placed,  which  he  helped  out  with 
a  spoon  to  every  talapoin  (bonze)  who  passed. 

"  His  account  of  the  Siamese  mode  of  capturing 
wild  elephants  is  not  dissimilar  to  that  which  has 
been  already  given.  But  he  adds  that  in  taming  the 
captured  animals  every  species  of  torture  is  used.  He 
is  lifted  by  a  machine  in  the  air,  fire  is  placed  under 
his  belly,  he  is  compelled  to  fast,  he  is  goaded  with 


NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  SI  AM         261 

sharp  irons,  till  reduced  to  absolute  submission.  The 
tame  elephants  co-operate  with  their  masters,  and, 
when  thoroughly  subdued,  the  victim  is  marched 
away  with  the  rest. 

"  Some  curious  stories  are  told  by  La  Loubere  of 
the  sagacity  of  elephants,  as  reported  by  the  Siamese. 
In  one  case  an  elephant,  upon  whose  head  his  keeper 
had  cracked  a  cocoa-nut,  kept  the  fragments  of  the 
nut-shell  for  several  days  between  his  forelegs,  and 
having  found  an  opportunity  of  trampling  on  and 
killing  the  keeper,  the  elephant  deposited  the  frag- 
ments upon  the  dead  body. 

"  I  heard  many  instances  of  sagacity  which  might 
furnish  interesting  anecdotes  for  the  zoologist.  The 
elephants  are  undoubtedly  proud  of  their  gorgeous 
trappings,  and  of  the  attentions  they  receive.  I  was 
assured  that  the  removal  of  the  gold  and  silver  rings 
from  their  tusks  was  resented  by  the  elephants  as 
an  indignity,  and  that  they  exhibited  great  satisfac- 
tion at  their  restoration.  The  transfer  of  an  elephant 
from  a  better  to  a  worse  stabling  is  said  to  be  accom- 
panied with  marks  of  displeasure." 

If  the  elephant  is  in  Siam  the  king  of  beasts,  the 
white  elephant  is  the  king  of  elephants.  This  fam- 
ous animal  is  simply  an  albino,  and  owes  his  celebrity 
and  sanctity  to  the  accident  of  disease.  He  is  not 
really  white  (except  in  spots);  his  color  is  a  faded 
pink,  or,  as  Bovvring  states  of  the  specimen  he  saw, 
a  light  mahogany.  In  September,  1870,  however,  a 
very  extraordinary  elephant  arrived  in  Bangkok,  hav- 
ing been  escorted  from  Paknam  with  many  royal  hon- 
ors. A  large  part  of  the  body  of  this  animal  was 


262  SIAM 

really  white,  and  great  excitement  and  delight  was 
produced  by  its  arrival  at  the  capital.  The  elephant 
which  Bowring  saw  and  described  died  within  a  year 
after  his  visit.  She  occupied  a  large  apartment  with- 
in the  grounds  of  the  first  king's  palace,  and  not 
far  off,  iu  an  elevated  position,  was  placed  a  golden 
chair  for  the  king  to  occupy  when  he  should  come 
to  visit  her.  "  She  had  a  number  of  attendants,  who 
were  feeding  her  with  fresh  grass  (which  I  thought 
she  treated  somewhat  disdainfully),  sugar-cane,  and 
plantains.  She  was  richly  caparisoned  in  cloth  of 
gold  and  ornaments,  some  of  which  she  tore  away  and 
was  chastised  for  the  offence  by  a  blow  on  the  pro- 
boscis by  one  of  the  keepers.  She  was  fastened  to  an 
upright  pole  by  ropes  covered  with  scarlet  cloth,  but 
at  night  was  released,  had  the  liberty  of  the  room, 
and  slept  against  a  matted  and  ornamented  partition, 
sloping  from  the  floor  at  about  an  angle  of  forty-five 
degrees.  In  a  corner  of  the  room  was  a  caged  mon- 
key, of  pure  white,  but  seemingly  very  active  and  mis- 
chievous. The  prince  fed  the  elephant  with  sugar- 
cane, which  appeared  her  favorite  food  ;  the  grass  she 
seemed  disposed  to  toss  about  rather  than  to  eat.  She 
had  been  trained  to  make  a  salaam  by  lifting  her  pro- 
boscis over  the  neck,  and  did  so  more  than  once  at  the 
prince's  bidding.  The  king  sent  me  the  bristles  of 
the  tail  of  the  last  white  elephant  to  look  at.  They 
were  fixed  in  a  gold  handle,  such  as  ladies  nse  for 
their  nosegays  at  balls." 

There  seems  some  reason  for  believing  that  the 
condition  of  the  white  elephant  is  not  at  present 
quite  so  luxurious  as  it  used  to  be,  and  a  correspond- 


NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  SI  AM         263 

ent  of  Miss  Cort  is  quoted  as  saying — "  I  think  it  is 
time  the  popular  fallacy  about  feeding  the  white  ele- 
phant from  gold  dishes,  and  keeping  him  in  regal 
splendor  was  exploded.  Except  on  state  occasions 
it  has  no  foundation  in  fact."  Advancing  civiliza- 
tion begins  to  make  it  evident,  even  to  the  Siamese, 
that  there  are  other  things  more  admirable  and  more 
worthy  of  reverence.  It  was  noticed  that  the  late 
second  king,  especially,  did  not  always  speak  of  the 
noble  creature  with  the  solemnity  which  ancient 
usage  would  have  justified,  and  even  seemed  to 
think  that  there  was  something  droll  in  the  venera- 
tion which  was  given  to  it.  But  the  superstition  in 
regard  to  it  is  by  no  means  extinct,  and  the  pres- 
ence of  one  of  these  animals  is  still  believed  to  be  a 
pledge  of  prosperity  to  the  kin'g  and  country. 
"  Hence,"  says  Bowring,  "  the  white  elephant  is 
sought  with  intense  ardor,  the  fortunate  finder  re- 
warded with  honors,  and  he  is  treated  with  atten- 
tion almost  reverential.  This  prejudice  is  traditional 
and  dates  from  the  earliest  times.  When  a  tribu- 
tary king  or  governor  of  a  province  has  captured  a 
white  elephant  he  is  directed  to  open  a  road  through 
the  forest  for  the  comfortable  transit  of  the  sacred 
animal,  and  when  he  reaches  the  Meinam  he  is  re- 
ceived on  a  magnificent  raft,  with  a  chintz  canopy 
and  garlanded  with  flowers.  He  occupies  the  centre 
of  the  raft  and  is  pampered  with  cakes  and  sugar. 
A  noble  of  high  rank,  sometimes  a  prince  of  royal 
blood  (and  on  the  last  occasion  both  the  first  and 
second  kings),  accompanied  by  a  great  concourse  of 
barges,  with  music  and  bands  of  musicians,  go  forth 


264  8IAM 

to  welcome  his  arrival.  Every  barge  has  a  rope  at- 
tached to  the  raft,  and  perpetual  shouts  of  joy  attend 
the  progress  of  the  white  elephant  to  the  capital, 
where  on  his  arrival  he  is  met  by  the  great  digni- 
taries of  the  state,  and  by  the  monarch  himself,  who 
gives  the  honored  visitor  some  sonorous  name  and 
confers  on  him  the  rank  of  nobility.  He  is  con- 
ducted to  a  palace  which  is  prepared  for  him,  where 
a  numerous  court  awaits  him,  and  a  number  of  of- 
ficers and  slaves  are  appointed  to  administer  to  his 
wants  in  vessels  of  gold  and  silver." 

It  is  believed  that  these  albinos  are  found  only  in 
Siam  and  its  dependencies,  and  the  white  elephant 
(on  a  red  ground)  has  been  made  the  flag  of  the 
kingdom.  It  is  probable  enough  that  the  festival  of 
the  white  elephant,  which  at  the  present  day  is  cele- 
brated in  Japan  (the  elephant  being  an  enormous 
pasteboard  structure  "  marching  on  the  feet  of  men 
enclosed  in  each  one  of  the  four  legs"),  may  be  a 
tradition  of  the  intercourse  between  that  country 
and  Siam,  which  was  formerly  more  intimate  than 
at  present. 

"  The  white  monkeys  enjoy  almost  the  same  priv- 
ileges as  the  white  elephant ;  they  are  called  pdja, 
have  household  and  other  officers,  but  must  yield 
precedence  to  the  elephant.  The  Siamese  say  that 
'  the  monkey  is  a  man — not  very  handsome  to  be 
sure ;  but  no  matter,  he  is  not  less  our  brother.'  If 
he  does  not  speak,  it  is  from  prudence,  dreading  lest 
the  king  should  compel  him  to  labor  for  him  with- 
out pay  ;  nevertheless,  it  seems  he  has  spoken,  for 
he  was  once  sent  in  the  quality  of  generalissimo  to 


NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  81  AM         265 

fight,  if  I  mistake  not,  an  army  of  giants.  With  one 
kick  lie  split  a  mountain  in  two,  and  report  goes 
that  he  finished  the  war  with  honor. 

"  The  Siamese  have  more  respect  for  white  ani- 
mals than  for  those  of  any  other  color.  They  say 
that  when  a  talapoin  meets  a  white  cock  he  salutes 
him — an  honor  he  will  not  pay  a  prince." 

Tigers  are  abundant  in  the  jungle,  but  are  more 
frequently  dangerous  to  other  animals,  both  wild  and 
domestic,  than  to  men.  The  rhinoceros,  the  buffalo, 
bears,  wild  pigs,  deer,  gazelles,  and  other  smaller 
animals  inhabit  the  forests.  Monkeys  are  abundant. 
In  Cambodia  Monhot  found  several  new  species. 
And  the  orang-outang  is  found  on  the  Malayan  pen- 
insula. Various  species  of  cats,  and  among  them 
tailless  cats  like  those  of  Japan,  are  also  to  be  found. 
Bats  are  abundant,  some  of  them  said  to  be  nearly 
as  large  as  a  cat.  They  are  fond  of  dwelling  among 
the  trees  of  the  temple-grounds,  and  Pallegoix  says 
(but  it  seems  that  the  good  Bishop  must  have  over- 
stated the  case,  as  other  travellers  have  failed  to 
notice  such  a  phenomenon)  that  "  at  night  they  hang 
over  the  city  of  Bangkok  like  a  dense  black  cloud, 
which  appears  to  be  leagues  in  length." 

Birds  are  abundant,  and  often  of  great  size  and 
beauty  ;  some  of  them  sweet  singers,  some  of  them 
skilful  mimics,  some  of  them  useful  as  scavengers. 
Peacocks,  parrots,  parroquets,  crows,  jays,  pigeons, 
in  great  numbers  and  variety,  inhabit  the  forest 
trees. 

What  the  elephant  is  in  the  forest,  the  crocodile 
is  in  the  rivers,  the  king  of  creeping  things.  The 
18 


266  SIAM 

eggs  of  the  crocodile  are  valued  as  a  delicacy  ;  but 
the  business  of  collecting  them  is  attended  with  so 
many  risks  that  it  is  not  regarded  as  a  popular  or 
cheerful  avocation.  It  will  be  well  for  the  collector 
to  have  a  horse  at  hand  on  which  he  can  take  imme- 
diate flight.  The  infuriated  mother  seldom  fails, 
says  Pallegoix,  to  rush  out  in  defence  of  her  pro- 
geny. 

"At  Bangkok  there  are  professional  crocodile- 
charmers.  If  a  person  is  reported  to  have  been 
seized  by  a  crocodile,  the  king  orders  the  animal  to 
be  captured.  The  charmer,  accompanied  by  many 
boats,  and  a  number  of  attendants  with  spears  and 
ropes,  visits  the  spot  where  the  presence  of  the  cro- 
codile has  been  announced,  and,  after  certain  cere- 
monies, writes  to  invite  the  presence  of  the  crocodile. 
The  crocodile-charmer,  on  his  appearance,  springs  on 
his  back  and  gouges  his  eyes  with  his  fingers ;  while 
the  attendants  spring  into  the  water,  some  fastening 
ropes  round  his  throat,  others  round  his  legs,  till  the 
exhausted  monster  is  dragged  to  the  shore  and  de- 
posited in  the  presence  of  the  authorities."  Father 
Pallegoix  affirms  that  the  Annamite  Christians  of 
his  communion  are  eminently  adroit  in  these  dan- 
gerous adventures,  and  that  he  has  himself  seen  as 
many  as  fifty  crocodiles  in  a  single  village  so  taken, 
and  bound  to  the  uprights  of  the  houses.  But  his 
account  of  the  Cambodian  mode  of  capture  is  still 
more  remarkable.  He  says  that  the  Cambodian 
river-boats  carry  hooks,  which,  by  being  kept  in  mo- 
tion, catch  hold  of  the  crocodiles,  that  during  the 
struggle  a  knot  is  thrown  over  the  animal's  tail,  that 


NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  SI  AM         267 

the  extremity  of  the  tail  is  cut  off,  and  a  sharp  bam- 
boo passed  through  the  vertebrae  of  the  spine  into 
the  brain,  when  the  animal  expires. 

There  are  many  species  of  lizards,  the  largest  is 
the  takuet.  His  name  has  passed  into  a  Siamese 
proverb,  as  the  representative  of  a  crafty,  double- 
dealing  knave,  as  the  takuet  has  two  tongues,  or 
rather  one  tongue  divided  into  two."  This  is  per- 
haps the  lizard  (about  twice  as  large  as  the  American 
bull-frog)  which  comes  into  the  dwellings  unmolested 
and  makes  himself  extremely  useful  by  his  destruc- 
tion of  vermin.  He  is  a  noisy  creature,  however, 
with  a  prodigious  voice.  He  begins  with  a  loud  and 
startling  whirr-r-r-r,  like  the  drumming  of  a  par- 
tridge or  the  running  down  of  an  alarm-clock,  and 
follows  up  the  sensation  which  he  thus  produces  by 
the  distinct  utterance  of  the  syllables,  "To-kay," 
four  or  five  times  repeated.  He  is  not  only  harmless, 
but  positively  useful,  but  it  takes  a  good  while  for  a 
stranger  to  become  so  well  acquainted  with  him  that 
the  sound  of  his  cry  from  the  ceiling,  over  one's  bed 
for  instance,  and  waking  one  from  a  sound  sleep,  is 
not  somewhat  alarming. 

There  is  no  lack  of  serpents,  large  and  small.  Pal- 
legoix  mentions  one  that  will  follow  any  light  or 
torch  in  the  darkness,  and  is  only  to  be  avoided  by 
extinguishing  or  abandoning  the  liojht  which  has  at- 

O  CJ  O  O 

tracted  him.     There  are  serpent-charmers,  as  in  other 
parts  of  India.     They  extract  the  poison  from  cer- 
tain kinds  of  vipers,  and  then  train  them  to  fight  with 
one  another,  to  dance,  and  perform  various  tricks. 
Pallegoix  mentions  one  or  two  varieties  of  fish  that 


268  SIAM 

are  interesting,  and,  so  far  as  known,  peculiar  to 
Siamese  waters.  One,  "  a  large  fish,  called  the  meng- 
phu,  weighing  from  thirty  to  forty  pounds,  of  a 
bright  greenish-blue  color,  will  spring  out  of  the 
water  to  attack  and  bite  bathers."  He  says  there 
"  is  also  a  tetraodon,  called  by  the  Siamese  the  moon, 
without  teeth,  but  with  jaws  as  sharp  as  scissors.  It 
can  inflate  itself  so  as  to  become  round  as  a  ball.  It 
attacks  the  toes,  the  calf,  and  the  thighs  of  bathers, 
and,  as  it  carries  away  a  portion  of  the  flesh,  a  wound 
is  left  which  it  is  difficult  to  heal.1' 

Of  centipedes,  scorpions,  ants,  mosquitoes,  and  the 
various  pests  and  plagues  common  to  all  tropical 
countries  it  is  not  necessary  to  speak  in  detail. 

Sir  John  Bowling  considered  that  sugar  was  likely 
to  become  the  principal  export  of  Siam,  but  thus  far 
it  would  seern  that  rice  has  taken  the  precedence. 
The  gutta-percha  tree,  all  kinds  of  palms,  and  of 
fruits  a  vast  and  wonderful  variety  (among  which 
are  some  peculiar  to  Siam),  are  abundant.  The 
durian  and  mangosteen  are  the  most  remarkable,  and 
have  already  been  described.  So  far  as  is  known, 
they  grow  only  in  the  regions  adjacent  to  the  Gulf  of 
Siam  and  the  Straits  of  Sunda.  And  though  there 
are  many  fruits  common  to  these  and  to  all  tropical 
countries  which  are  more  useful  (such  as  the  banana, 
of  which  there  are  said  to  be  in  Siam  not  less  than 
fifty  varieties,  "  in  size  from  a  little  finger  to  an  ele- 
phant's tusk "),  there  are  none  more  curious  than 
these.  The  season  of  the  mangosteen  is  the  same 
with  that  of  the  durian.  The  tree  grows  about 
fifteen  feet  high,  and  the  foliage  is  extremely  glossy 


NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  SIAM         269 

and  dark.  The  fruit  may  be  eaten  in  large  quanti- 
ties with  safety,  and  is  of  incomparable  delicacy  of 
flavor.  No  fruit  in  the  world  has  won  such  praises 
as  the  mangosteen. 

Of  the  mineral  treasures  of  Siam,  enough  has  been 
already  indicated  in  the  description  of  the  wealth  and 
magnificence  which  is  everywhere  apparent.  We 
need  only  add  that  coal  of  excellent  quality  and  in 
great  abundance  has  been  recently  discovered,  and 
that  the  country  is  also  rich  in  petroleum,  which 
awaits  the  wells  and  refineries  by  which  it  may  be 
profitably  used.  Gold  and  silver  mines  are  both 
known  but  little  is  produced  from  them.  The  gov- 
ernment is  obliged  to  import  Mexican  dollars  in  or- 
der to  melt  and  recoin  them  in  the  new  mint. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

CHRISTIAN    MISSIONS    IN    SIAM— THE    OUTLOOK    FOB 
THE   FUTURE 

NO  account  of  the  present  condition  of  Siam  can 
be  at  all  complete  which  does  not  notice  the 
history  of  missionary  enterprise  in  that  country.  Al- 
lusion has  already  been  made  to  the  efforts  of  Roman 
Catholic  missionaries,  Portuguese  and  French,  to  in- 
troduce Christianity  and  to  achieve  for  the  Church  a 
great  success  by  the  conversion  of  the  king  and  his 
people.  The  scheme  failed,  and  the  political  in- 
trigue which  was  involved  in  it  came  also  to  an  ig- 
nominious conclusion  ;  and  the  first  era  of  Roman 
Catholic  missions  in  Siam  closed  in  1780,  when  a 
royal  decree  banished  the  missionaries  from  the  king- 
dom. They  did  not  return  in  any  considerable  num- 
bers, or  to  make  any  permanent  residence  until  1830. 
In  that  year  the  late  Bishop  Pallegoix,  to  whom  we 
owe  much  of  our  knowledge  of  the  country  and  the 
people  (and  who  died  respected  and  beloved  by 
Buddhists  as  well  as  Christians),  was  appointed  to  re- 
sume the  interrupted  labors  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church.  Under  his  zealous  and  skilful  manage- 
ment, much  of  a  certain  kind  of  success  has  been 
achieved,  but  very  few  of  the  converts  are  to  be 
found  among  the  native  Siamese.  There  is  at  pres- 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS  IN  SIAM  271 

ent  on  the  ground  a  force  of  about  twenty  mission- 
aries, including  a  vicar  apostolic  and  a  bishop,  with 
churches  at  ten  or  a  dozen  places  in  the  kingdom. 
Their  converts  and  adherents  are  chiefly  from  the 
Chinese,  Portuguese  half-castes,  and  others  who  value 
the  political  protection  conferred  by  the  priests. 

The  religious  success  of  the  Protestant  missionaries, 
which  has  not  been  over-encouraging,  has  also  been 
in  the  first  place,  and  largely,  among  the  Chinese  resi- 
dents. A  few  Siamese  converts  are  reported  within 
the  past  few  years,  and  their  number  is  steadily  in- 
creasing. The  first  Protestant  mission  was  that  of 
the  American  Baptist  Board,  which  was  on  the 
ground  within  three  years  after  the  arrival  of  Bishop 
Pallegoix,  though  several  American  missionaries  of 
other  denominations  had  been  in  the  country  and 
translated  religious  books  before  this.  The  Baptists 
were  followed  within  a  few  years  by  Congregation  al- 
ists  and  Presbyterians  from  the  United  States.  But 
"  as  time  passed  on  one  agency  after  another  left  the 
field,  until  to-day  the  entire  work  of  Christianizing 
the  Siamese  is  left  to  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States," 
which  began  work  in  Bangkok  of  1840. 

At  first  sight  their  efforts,  if  measured  by  a  count 
of  converts,  might  seem  to  have  resulted  in  failure. 
The  statistics  show  but  little  accomplished ;  the  roll 
of  communicants  seems  insignificant.  And  of  the 
sincerity  and  intelligence  even  of  this  small  handful 
there  are  occasional  misgivings.  On  the  whole,  those 
who  are  quick  to  criticise  and  to  oppose  foreign  mis- 
sions might  seem  to  have  a  good  argument  and  to 


272  SIAM 

find  a  case  in  point  in  the  history  of  missions  in 
Siam. 

But  really  the  success  of  these  efforts  has  been  ex- 
traordinary, although  the  history  of  them  exhibits  an 
order  of  results  almost  without  precedent.  Ordinar- 
ily, the  religious  enlightenment  of  a  people  conies 
first,  and  the  civilization  follows  as  a  thing  of  course. 
But  here  the  Christianization  of  the  nation  has 
scarcely  begun,  but  its  civilization  has  made  (as  this 
volume  has  abundantly  shown)  much  more  than  a 
beginning. 

For  it  is  to  the  labors  of  the  Christian  missionaries 
in  Siam  that  the  remarkable  advancement  of  the 
kings  and  nobles,  and  even  of  some  of  the  common 
people,  in  general  knowledge  and  even  in  exact  sci- 
ence, is  owing.  The  usurpation  which  kept  the  last 
two  kings  (the  first  and  second)  nearly  thirty  years 
from  their  thrones  was  really  of  great  advantage  both 
to  them  and  to  their  kingdom.  Shut  out  from  any 
very  active  participation  in  political  affairs,  their 
restless  and  intelligent  minds  were  turned  into  new 
channels  of  activity.  The  elder  brother  in  his  cloister, 
the  younger  in  his  study  and  his  workshop,  busied 
themselves  with  the  pursuit  of  knowledge.  The 
elder,  as  a  priest  of  Buddhism,  turned  naturally  to 
the  study  of  language  and  literature.  The  younger 
busied  himself  with  natural  science,  and  more  espe- 
cially with  mathematical  and  military  science.  The 
Roman  Catholic  priests  were  ready  instructors  of  the 
elder  brother  in  the  Latin  language.  And  among 
the  American  missionaries  there  were  some  with  a 
practical  knowledge  of  various  mechanical  arts.  It 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS  IN  SIAM  273 

was  from  them  that  the  two  brothers  learned  English 
and  received  the  assistance  and  advice  which  they 
needed  in  order  to  perfect  themselves  in  Western 
science.  At  a  very  early  day  they  began  to  be  fami- 
liar with  them  ;  to  receive  them  and  their  wives  on 
terms  of  friendly  and  fraternal  intimacy  ;  to  send  for 
them  whenever  counsel  or  practical  aid  was  needed  in 
their  various  philosophical  pursuits  and  experiments. 
Through  the  printing-presses  of  the  Protestant  mis- 
sions much  has  been  done  to  arouse  the  people  from 
the  lethargy  of  centuries  and  to  diffuse  among  them 
useful  intelligence  of  every  sort.  The  late  king  was 
not  content  until  he  established  a  press  of  his  own,  of 
which  he  made  constant  and  busy  use.  The  medical 
missionaries,  by  their  charitable  work  among  the 
rich,  in  the  healing  of  disease  and  by  instituting  va- 
rious sanitary  and  precautionary  expedients,  have 
done  much  to  familiarize  all  classes  with  the  excel- 
lence of  Western  science,  and  to  draw  attention  and 
respect  to  the  civilization  which  they  represent.  It 
is  due  to  the  Christian  missionaries,  and  (without 
any  disparagement  to  the  excellence  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  priests),  we  may  say  especially  to  the  Amer- 
ican missionaries,  more  than  to  any  enterprise  of 
commerce  or  shrewdness  of  diplomacy  that  Siarn  is 
so  far  advanced  in  its  intercourse  with  other  nations. 
When  Sir  John  Bowring  came  in  1855  to  negotiate 
his  treaty,  he  found  that,  instead  of  having  to  deal 
with  an  ignorant,  narrow,  and  savage  government,  the 
two  kings  and  some  of  the  noblemen  were  educated 
gentlemen,  well  fitted  to  discuss  with  him,  with  in- 
telligent skill  and  fairness,  the  important  matters 


274  SIAM 

which  he  had  in  hand.  Sir  John  did  his  work  for 
the  most  part  ably  and  well.  But  the  fruit  was  ripe 
before  he  plucked  it.  And  it  was  by  the  patient  and 
persistent  labors  of  the  missionaries  for  twenty  years 
that  the  results  which  he  achieved  were  made  not 
only  possible  but  easj\ 

Hitherto  the  Buddhist  religion,  which  prevails  in 
Siam  in  a  form  probably  more  pure  and  simple  than 
elsewhere,  has  firmly  withstood  the  endeavors  of  the 
Christian  missionaries  to  supplant  it.  The  converts 
are  chiefly  from  among  the  Chinese,  who,  for  centu- 
ries past,  and  in  great  numbers,  have  made  their  homes 
in  this  fertile  country,  monopolizing  much  of  its  in- 
dustry, and  sometimes,  with  characteristic  thrif  tiness, 
accumulating  much  wealth.  They  have  intermarried 
with  the  Siamese,  and  have  become  a  permanent  ele- 
ment in  the  population,  numbering,  in  the  coast  region, 
almost  as  many  as  the  native  Siamese,  or  Thai.  For 
some  reason  they  seem  to  be  more  susceptible  to  the 
influence  of  the  Christian  teachers,  and  many  of  them 
have  given  evidence  of  a  sincere  and  intelligent  at- 
tachment to  the  Christian  faith.  The  native  Siam- 
ese, however,  though  acknowledging  the  superiority 
of  Christian  science,  and  expressing  much  personal 
esteem  and  attachment  for  the  missionaries,  give 
somewhat  scornful  heed,  or  no  heed  at  all,  to  the  re- 
ligious truths  which  they  inculcate.  The  late  second 
king  was  suspected  of  cherishing  secretly  a  greater 
belief  in  Christianity  than  he  was  willing  to  avow. 
But  after  his  death,  his  brother,  the  first  king,  very 
emphatically  and  somewhat  angrily  denied  that  there 
was  any  ground  for  such  suspicions  concerning  him. 


CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS  IN  SIAM  275 

For  himself,  though  willing  to  be  regarded  as  the 
founder  of  a  new  and  more  liberal  school  of  Buddh- 
ism, he  was  the  steady  "  defender  of  the  faith  "  in 
which  he  was  nurtured,  and  in  the  priesthood  of  which 
so  many  years  of  his  life  were  passed.  He  seldom  did 
anything  which  looked  like  persecution  of  the  mission- 
aries, but  contented  himself  with  occasionally  snub- 
bing them  in  a  patronizing  or  more  or  less  contemp- 
tuous manner.  This  attitude  of  contemptuous  indif- 
ference is  also  that  which  is  commonly  assumed  by 
the  Buddhist  priests.  "  Do  you  think,"  said  one  of 
them  on  sotne  occasion  to  the  missionaries,  "  do  you 
think  you  will  beat  down  our  great  mountains  with 
your  small  tools  ?  "  And  on  another  occasion  the 
king  is  reported  to  have  said  that  there  was  about  as 
much  probability  that  the  Buddhists  would  convert 
the  Christians,  as  that  the  Christians  would  convert 
the  Buddhists. 

But  there  can  be  little  doubt  with  those  who  take 
a  truly  philosophical  view  of  the  future  of  Siam,  and 
still  less  with  those  who  take  a  religious  view  of  it, 
that  this  advancement  in  civilization  must  open  the 
way  for  religious  enlightenment  as  well.  Thus  far 
there  has  come  only  the  knowledge  which  "  puffeth 
up."  Arid  how  much  it  puffeth  up  is  evident  from 
the  pedantic  documents  which  used  to  issue  from 
the  facile  pen  of  his  majesty  the  late  first  king.  A 
little  more  slowly,  but  none  the  less  surely,  there 
must  come  as  well  that  Christian  charity  which 
"  buildeth  up."  Even  if  the  work  of  the  mission- 
aries should  cease  to-day,  the  results  accomplished 
would  be  of  immense  and  permanent  value.  They 


276  SIAM 

have  introduced  Christian  science  ;  they  have  made 
a  beginning  of  Christian  literature,  by  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures ;  they  have  awakened  an 
insatiable  appetite  for  Christian  civilization ;  and 
the  end  is  not  yet. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

BANGKOK  AND  THE  NEW  SIAM 

"  T  DO  not  believe,"  says  the  Marqnis  de  Beauvoir 
1  (in  his  "  Voyage  Round  the  World,"  vol.  ii.), 
"  that  there  is  a  sight  in  the  world  more  magnificent  or 
more  striking  than  the  first  view  of  Bangkok.  This 
Asiatic  Venice  displays  all  her  wonders  over  an  ex- 
tent of  eight  miles.  The  river  is  broad  and  grand  ; 
in  it  more  than  sixty  vessels  lie  at  anchor.  The 
shores  are  formed  by  thousands  of  floating  houses, 
whose  curiously  formed  roofs  make  an  even  line, 
while  the  inhabitants,  in  brilliant-colored  dresses,  ap- 
pear on  the  surface  of  the  water.  On  the  dry  land 
which  commands  this  first  amphibious  town,  the 
royal  city  extends  its  battlemented  walls  and  white 
towers.  Hundreds  of  pagodas  rear  their  gilded 
spires  to  the  sky,  their  innumerable  domes  inlaid 
with  porcelain  and  glittering  crystals,  and  the  em- 
brasures polished  and  carved  in  open-work.  The 
horizon  was  bounded  to  right  and  left  by  sparkling 
roofs,  raised  some  six  or  seven  stories,  enormous 
steeples  of  stone- work,  whose  brilliant  coating  daz- 
zled the  eyes,  and  bold  spires  from  one  hundred  and 
fifty  to  two  hundred  feet  in  height,  indicating  the 
palace  of  the  King,  which  reflected  all  the  rays  of 
the  sun  like  a  gigantic  prism.  It  seemed  as  though 


278  SIAM 

we  had  before  us  a  panorama  of  porcelain  cathe- 
drals. 

"The  first  general  view  of  the  Oriental  Venice 
surpassed  all  that  we  could  have  hoped  for  in  our 
travellers'  dreams.  We  longed  to  get  into  gondolas 
and  go  through  the  lively  canals  which  are  the  streets 
of  the  floating  town,  and  where  the  bustle,  animation, 
and  noise  bewildered  us.  ...  At  length,  jumping 
into  a  boat,  we  directed  our  rowers  toward  the  tower 
of  the  Catholic  mission  by  signs.  We  were  nearly  an 
hour  crossing  over,  as  we  had  to  struggle  against  the 
rising  tide.  Thus  we  were  able  to  study  the  details 
of  the  floating  town  while  we  went  through  its  streets, 
or  rather  canals,  between  the  crowded  houses,  each  one 
of  which  formed  a  small  island.  We  met  and  passed 
thousands  of  light  boats,  which  are  the  cabs  and  om- 
nibuses of  Bangkok.  The  waving  paddle  makes 
them  glide  like  nut-shells  from  one  shop  to  another. 
Some  were  not  much  more  than  three  feet  long,  with 
one  Siamese  squeezed  in  between  piles  of  rice,  ba- 
nanas, or  fish  ;  others  hold  fifteen  people,  and  are  so 
crowded  that  one  can  hardly  see  the  edge  of  the  boat, 
which  is  a  hollow  palm-tree. 

"  As  to  the  children,  who  are  scattered  about  in 
profusion,  their  dress  consists  of  a  daub  of  yellow 
paint ;  but  they  are  most  fascinating  little  things.  I 
was  charmed  with  them  from  the  very  first  moment, 
but  it  grieves  me  to  think  that  some  day  they  will 
become  as  ugly  as  their  fathers  and  mothers — and 
that  is  saying  much  !  Their  little  hair-tufts,  twisted 
round  with  a  great  gold  pin,  are  surrounded  by  pretty 
wreaths  of  white  flowers.  They  are  merry  and  full 


BANGKOK  AND  THE  NEW  SIAM          279 

of  tricks,  and  very  pretty  to  see  in  their  childish 
nakedness;  yet  they  are  more  dressed  than  the 
growri-np  young  ladies  who  were  bathing.  Besides  a 
heap  of  bracelets  and  necklaces  of  gold  or  copper 
gilt,  with  which  they  are  covered  like  idols,  they 
wear  a  small  vine-leaf,  cut  in  the  shape  of  a  heart, 
and  hung  round  the  waist  by  a  slight  thread.  This 
hanging  leaf,  which  is  about  two  inches  long  and  one 
and  a  half  broad,  marks  their  caste.  For  the  rich  it 
is  gold,  for  the  middle  classes  silver,  for  the  poor  red 
copper. 

"  The  grandest  and  most  characteristic  pagoda  is 
on  the  right  bank,  surrounded  by  a  fine  and  verdant 
wood.  It  rises  amidst  a  cluster  of  small  towers 
which  command  a  central  pyramid  three  hundred 
feet  high.  This  is  at  the  base  in  the  form  of  the 
lower  part  of  a  cone,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty 
steps  ;  then  it  becomes  a  six-sided  tower  with  dormer 
windows  supported  by  three  white  elephants'  trunks  ; 
the  graceful  spire  then  rises  from  a  nest  of  turrets, 
and  shoots  upward  like  a  single  column  rounded  off 
into  a  cupola  at  the  summit ;  from  thence  a  bronze 
gilt  arrow  extends  twenty  crooked  arms  that  pierce 
the  clouds.  When  lighted  up  by  the  rays  of  the  sun 
it  all  becomes  one  mass  of  brilliancy  ;  the  enamelled 
colors  of  flaming  earthenware,  the  coating  of  thou- 
sands of  polished  roses  standing  out  in  the  alabaster, 
give  to  this  pagoda,  with  its  pure  and  brilliant  archi- 
tecture unknown  under  any  other  sky,  the  magical 
effect  of  a  dream  with  the  colossal  signs  of  reality. 

"  As  we  approached  it,  gliding  slowly  along  in  a 
gondola  against  the  impetuous  current  of  the  river,  the 


280  SIAM 

promontory  looked  like  an  entire  town,  a  sacred  town 
of  irregular  towers,  crowded  kiosques,  painted  sum- 
mer-bouses, colonnades  and  statues  of  pink  marble 
and  red  porphyry.  But  on  landing  we  bad  to  pass  tbe 
ditcbes  and  sballows  wbicb  surround  tbe  sacred  ram- 
parts, wbere,  walking  with  measured  steps,  was  a  whole 
population  of  men,  with  beads  and  eyebrows  shaved, 
and  whose  dress  was  a  long  saffron-colored  Roman 
toga.  These  were  tbe  ;  talapoins,'  or  Buddhist 
priests.  In  one  band  they  bold  an  iron  saucepan,  and 
in  tbe  other  the  '  talapat/  a  great  fan  of  palm-leaves, 
the  distinguishing  sign  of  their  rank.  The  lanes 
they  live  in  are  horribly  dirty,  and  their  houses  are 
huts  built  of  dirty  planks  and  bricks,  which  are  fall- 
ing to  pieces.  One  could  imagine  them  to  be  the 
foul  drains  of  the  porcelain  palaces  wbicb  touch  them, 
luckily  hidden  by  bowers  of  luxuriant  trees.  More 
than  seven  hundred  talapoins  or  'phras'  looked  at 
us  as  we  passed,  with  an  indifference  that  bordered  on 
contempt.  And  when  we  saw  the  sleepy  and  besot- 
ted priests  of  Buddha,  who  looked  like  lazy  beggars, 
and  the  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  ragged  urchins  who 
surrounded  them  in  the  capacity  of  choristers,  and 
who  grow  up  in  the  slums  together  with  groups  of 
geese,  pigs,  chickens,  and  stray  dogs,  it  seemed  a 
menagerie  of  mud,  dirt,  and  vermin  belonging  to 
tbe  monastery  ;  and  we  could  not  help  noticing  the  re- 
markable contrast  wbicb  exists  between  tbe  fairy-like 
appearance  of  tbe  temple  as  seen  from  tbe  town,  and 
the  horrible  condition  of  tbe  hundreds  of  priests  who 
serve  it.  ... 

"  We  only  had  to  go  up  a  few  steps  to  pass  from 


BANGKOK  AND  THE  NEW  SIAM  281 

the  dirty  huts  to  marble  terraces.  We  scaled  the 
great  pyramid  as  high  as  we  could  go  ;  no  such  easy 
matter  beneath  a  scorching  sun  which  took  away  onr 
strength,  and  blinded  by  the  dazzling  whiteness  of 
the  stone-work.  But  a  panaroma  of  the  \vhole  town 
was  now  laid  before  us,  with  the  windings  of  the 
river,  the  royal  palaces,  the  eleven  pagodas  in  the 
first  enclosure,  the  two  and  twenty  in  the  second,  and 
some  four  hundred  porcelain  towers  and  spires,  look- 
ing as  though  planted  in  a  mound  of  verdure  formed 
by  the  masses  of  tropical  vegetation.  In  the  symme- 
trical colonnades  which  we  visited  there  are  hundreds 
of  altars,  decorated  with  millions  of  statuettes  of 
Buddha,  in  gold,  silver,  copper,  or  porphyry.  On 
the  left  side  is  a  very  large  temple  with  a  five-storied 
roof  in  blue,  green,  and  yellow  tiles,  and  dazzling 
walls.  A  double  door  of  gigantic  size,  all  lacker- 
work  inlaid  with  mother-o'-pearl,  opened  to  us,  and 
we  were  in  the  presence  of  a  Buddha  of  colored 
stone-work.  He  was  seated  on  a  stool,  nearly  fifty 
feet  high,  his  legs  crossed,  a  pointed  crown  upon  his 
head,  great  white  eyes,  arid  his  height  was  nearly 
forty  feet.  This  deified  mass,  altogether  attaining  to 
the  height  of  ninety  feet,  is  the  only  thing  that  re- 
mains unmoved  at  the  sound  of  more  than  fifty  gongs 
and  tom-toms,  which  the  bonzes  beat  with  all  their 
strength.  Incense  burns  in  bronze  cups,  and  a  ray  of 
light  penetrating  the  window  strikes  upon  five  rows 
of  gilded  statuettes  which,  in  a  body  of  two  or  three 
hundred,  crouch  at  the  feet  of  the  great  god,  and 
baskets  of  splendid  fruit  are  offered  to  them  ;  you 
can  imagine  who  eats  it.  Suits  of  armor  are  fixed 
19 


282  SIAM 

against  the  walls,  and  at  certain  distances  the  seven- 
storied  umbrella  hangs  like  a  banner.  As  for  the 
bas-reliefs,  their  description  would  take  a  whole  vo- 
lume ;  they  represent  all  the  tortures  of  the  Buddhist 
hell.  I  shuddered  as  I  looked  on  these  wretched  creat- 
ures, some  fainting  away,  thrusting  out  their  tongues, 
which  serpents  devoured,  or  picking  up  an  eye  torn 
out  by  the  claw  of  an  eagle,  twisting  round  like  tee- 
totums, or  eagerly  devouring  human  brains  in  the 
split  skull  of  their  neighbor.  On  the  other  side  of 
these  walls  there  are  colored  frescoes.  The  illustra- 
tions extend  into  a  whole  world  of  detail  of  the 
Buddhist  religion,  which  varies  in  eveiy  part  of  Asia 
and  is  so  impossible  to  separate  from  tradition,  and 
so  contradictory  in  its  laws." 

Each  king  in  turn  seems  to  wish  to  rebuild  the 
royal  residence,  and  here  is  a  brief  description,  from 
Mr.  Bock,  of  that  which  King  Chulalonkorn  has 
erected  for  himself:  "Adjoining  the  old  building  is 
the  new  palace,  called  the  Chakr  Kri  Maha  Prasat, 
the  erection  of  which  has  long  been  a  favorite  scheme 
of  his  majesty,  who  in  1880  took  formal  possession 
of  the  building.  The  style  is  a  mixture  of  different 
schools  of  European  architecture,  the  picturesque  and 
characteristic  Siamese  roof,  however,  being  retained. 
The  internal  fittings  of  this  palace  are  on  a  most 
elaborate  scale,  the  most  costly  furniture  having  been 
imported  from  London  at  an  expense  of  no  less  than 
£80,000.  One  of  the  features  of  the  palace  is  a  large 
and  well-stocked  library,  in  which  the  king  takes 
great  interest — all  the  leading  European  and  Ameri- 
can periodicals  being  regularly  taken  in. 


BANGKOK  AND  THE  NEW  SIAM          283 

"  Here  the  king  transacts  all  state  business,  assisted 
by  his  brother  and  private  secretary,  Prince  Deva- 
wongsa — usually  called  Prince  Devan.  These  two 
are  probably  the  hardest-worked  men  in  the  country, 
nothing  being  too  great  or  too  trivial  to  escape  the 
king's  notice.  A  friend  of  mine,  who  has  had  many 
opportunities  of  observing  the  king's  actions,  writes  to 
me :  '  Every  officer  of  any  importance  is  compelled  to 
report  in  person  at  the  palace,  and  the  entire  affairs 
of  the  kingdom  pass  in  detail  before  his  majesty 
daily.  Although  the  king  is  obliged  through  policy 
to  overlook,  or  pretend  not  to  see,  very  many  abuses 
in  the  administration  of  his  government,  yet  they  do 
not  escape  his  eye,  and  in  some  future  time  will  come 
up  for  judgment.' 

"  Inside  the  palace  gates  were  a  number  of  soldiers 
in  complete  European  uniform,  minus  the  boots, 
which  only  officers  are  allowed  to  wear.  At  the 
head  of  the  guard,  inside  the  palace  gates,  is  the 
king's  aunt,  who  is  always  '  on  duty,'  and  never 
allows  anyone  to  pass  without  a  proper  permit. 
Passing  through  a  long  succession  of  courts  and 
courtyards,  past  a  series  of  two-storied  and  white- 
washed buildings — the  library,  museum,  barracks, 
mint,  etc.,  all  of  which  are  conveniently  placed  with- 
in the  palace  grounds — we  were  led  to  an  open  pavil- 
ion, furnished  with  chairs  and  tables  of  European 
manufacture,  in  which  were  two  court  officers,  neatly 
dressed  in  the  very  becoming  court  suit — snow-white 
jacket  with  gold  buttons,  a  'pa-nung,'  or  scarf,  so 
folded  round  the  body  as  to  resemble  knickerbockers, 
with  white  stockings  and  buckled  shoes. 


284  SIAM 

"  The  ninth  child  of  his  father  and  predecessor  on 
the  throne,  King  Chulalonkorn  has  profited  by  the 
liberal  education  which  that  father  was  careful  to 
give  him,  and,  with  a  mind  fully  impressed  by  the 
advantages  afforded  by  large  and  varied  stores  of 
knowledge,  he  has  striven  to  give  practical  effect  to 
the  Western  ideas  thus  early  instilled  in  him.  Born 
on  September  22,  1853,  he  was  only  fifteen  years  of 
age  when  he  came  to  the  throne,  and  during  his 
minority  his  Highness  the  Somdeth  Chow  Phya 
Boromaha  Sri  Suriwongse — an  able  and  upright 
statesman,  the  head  of  the  most  powerful  and  noble 
family  in  the  country,  which  practically  rules  the 
greater  portion  of  Western  Siam — acted  as  regent. 
.  .  .  Although  the  king  shows  great  favor  to 
Europeans,  he  does  not  display  any  undue  predilec- 
tion for  them,  and  only  avails  himself  of  their  assist- 
ance so  far  as  their  services  are  indispensable,  and 
as  a  means  of  leavening  the  mass  of  native  official- 
dom. The  example  of  the  sovereign  has  not  been 
without  its  effect  on  the  minds  of  his  native  advisers, 
and  the  princes  and  officials  by  whom  he  is  surround- 
ed are  rapidly  developing  enlightened  ideas.  This 
is  the  more  important  since  many  of  the  highest 
offices  are  hereditary,  and  there  is  consequently  not 
the  same  scope  for  the  choice  by  the  king  of  men 
after  his  own  heart  which  he  would  otherwise  have. 
As  one  instance  out  of  many,  I  may  mention  the  case 
of  his  Highness  Chow  Sai,  the  king's  body-physician, 
one  of  the  last  offices  that  one  would  suppose  to  be 
hereditary  !  Chow  Sai  is  one  of  those  princes  who 
are  favorably  disposed  toward  Europeans  ;  he  is  well 


BANGKOK  AND   THE  NEW  SIAM  285 

read,  and  some  years  ago  sent  his  eldest  son  to  be 
thoroughly  educated  for  the  medical  profession  in 
Scotland.  Chow  Sai's  father,  by  the  way,  was  a 
great  believer  in  European  medicines,  especially  Hol- 
loway's  pills,  of  which  he  ordered  the  enormous  quan- 
tity of  ten  piculs,  or  over  1,330  pounds ;  a  large  stock 
still  remain,  with  their  qualities,  no  doubt,  unim- 
paired." 

Before  leaving  the  palace  we  may  pause  a  moment 
to  hear  a  quaint  tale  of  Oriental  cunning  by  means 
of  which  a  former  king  succeeded  in  obtaining  the 
jar  of  sacred  oil  still  preserved  here  with  religious 
care.  The  story,  as  told  in  Cameron's  book,*  re- 
minds one  of  the  artful  dodges  employed  by  zealous 
monks  of  the  Middle  Ages  to  secure  saints'  relics  with 
their  profitable  blessings.  "  When  the  English  took 
possession  of  Ceylon,"  relates  the  author,  "  Tickery 
Bundah  and  two  or  three  brothers — children  of  the 
first  minister  of  the  King  of  the  Kandians — were 
taken  and  educated  in  English  by  the  governor. 
Tickery  afterward  became  manager  of  coffee  planta- 
tions, and  was  so  on  the  arrival  of  the  Siamese  mis- 
sion of  priests  in  1845  in  search  of  Buddha's  tooth. 
It  seems  be  met  the  mission  returning  disconsolate, 
having  spent  some  £5,000  in  presents  and  bribes  in 
a  vain  endeavor  to  obtain  a  sight  of  the  relic.  Tick- 
ery learned  their  story,  and  at  once  ordered  them  to 
unload  their  carts  and  wait  for  three  days  longer,  and 
in  due  time  he  promised  to  obtain  for  them  the 
desired  view  of  the  holy  tooth.  He  had  a  check  on 
the  bank  for  £200  in  his  hands  at  the  time,  and  this 
*  Our  Tropical  Possessions  in  Malayan  India, 


286  SIAM 

he  offered  to  leave  with  the  priests  as  a  guarantee 
that  he  would  fulfil  his  promise ;  he  does  not  say 
whether  the  check  was  his  own  or  his  master's,  or 
whether  it  was  handed  over  or  not.  Perhaps  it  was 
the  check  for  the  misappropriation  of  which  he  after- 
ward found  his  way  to  the  convict  lines  of  Malacca. 
The  Siamese  priests  accepted  his  undertaking  and 
unloaded  the  baggage,  agreeing  to  wait  for  three 
days.  Tickery  immediately  placed  himself  in  com- 
munication with  the  governor,  and  represented,  as  he 
says,  forcibly  the  impositions  that  must  have  been 
practised  upon  the  King  of  Siam's  holy  mission,  when 
they  had  expended  all  their  gifts  and  not  yet  obtained 
the  desired  view  of  the  tooth. 

"  The  governor,  who,  Tickery  says,  was  a  great 
friend  of  his,  appreciated  the  hardship  of  the  priests, 
and  agreed  that  the  relic  should  be  shown  to  them 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  It  happened,  how- 
ever, that  the  keys  of  the  mosque  where  the  relic 
was  preserved  were  in  the  keeping  of  the  then  resi- 
dent councillor,  who  was  away  some  eight  miles 
elephant  shooting.  But  the  difficulty  was  not  long 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  way.  Tickery  immediately 
suggested  that  it  was  very  improbable  the  councillor 
would  have  included  these  keys  in  his  hunting  furni- 
ture, and  insisted  that  they  must  be  in  his  house. 
He  therefore  asked  the  governor's  leave  to  call  upon 
his  wife,  and,  presenting  the  governor's  compliments, 
to  request  a  search  to  be  made  for  the  keys.  Tickery 
was  deputed  accordingly,  and  by  dint  of  his  charac- 
teristic tact  and  force  of  language,  carried  the  keys 
triumphantly  to  the  governor. 


BANGKOK  AND   THE  NEW  SIAM  287 

"  The  Ivandy  priests  were  immediately  notified 
that  their  presence  was  desired,  as  it  was  intended  to 
exhibit  the  great  relic,  and  their  guardian  offices 
would  be  necessary.  Accordingly,  on  the  third  day 
the  mosque  or  temple  was  opened ;  and  in  the  build- 
ing were  assembled  the  Siamese  pi  iests  and  wor- 
shippers with  Tickery  on  the  one  side  the  Kandy  or 
guardian  priests  on  the  other,  and  th  )  recorder  arid 
the  governor  in  the  centre. 

"After  making  all  due  offering  to  the  tooth  of  the 
great  deity,  the  Siamese  head  priest,  who  had  brought 
a  golden  jar  filled  with  otto  of  roses,  desired  to  have 
a  small  piece  of  cotton  with  some  of  the  otto  of  roses 
rubbed  on  the  tooth  and  then  passed  into  the  jar, 
thereby  to  consecrate  the  whole  of  the  contents.  To 
this  process  the  Ivandy  priests  objected,  as  being 
a  liberty  too  great  to  be  extended  to  any  foreigners. 
The  Siamese,  however,  persevered  in  their  requests, 
and  the  governor  and  recorder,  not  knowing  the  cause 
of  the  altercation,  inquired  of  Tickery.  Tickery, 
who  had  fairly  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Siamese, 
though  knowing  that  in  their  last  request  they  had 
exceeded  all  precedent,  resolved  quietly  to  gratify 
their  wish  ;  so  in  answer  to  the  governor's  interroga- 
tory, took  from  the  hands  of  the  Siamese  priest  a 
small  piece  of  cotton  and  the  golden  jar  of  oil. 
'  This  is  what  they  want,  your  honor  ;  they  want  to 
take  this  small  piece  of  cotton — so  ;  and  having 
dipped  it  in  this  oil — so  ;  they  wish  to  rub  it  on  this 
here  sacred  tooth — so;  and  having  done  this  to  return 
it  to  the  jar  of  oil — so  ;  thereby,  your  honor,  to  conse- 
crate the  whole  contents.'  All  the  words  of  Tickery 


288  SIAM 

were  accompanied  by  the  corresponding  action,  and 
of  course  the  desired  ceremony  had  been  performed 
in  affording  the  explanation.  The  whole  thing  was 
the  work  of  a  moment.  The  governor  and  recorder 
did  not  know  how  to  interpose  in  time,  though  they 
were  aware  that  such  a  proceeding  was  against  all 
precedent.  The  Kandy  priests  were  taken  aback, 
and  the  Siamese  priests,  having  obtained  the  desired 
object,  took  from  Tickery's  hands  the  now  conse- 
crated jar,  with  every  demonstration  of  fervent 
gratitude.  The  Kandy  priests  were  loud  in  their 
indignation  ;  but  the  governor,  patting  Tickery  on 
the  back  said,  '  Tickery,  my  boy,  you  have  settled 
the  question  for  us  ;  it  is  a  pity  you  were  not  born  in 
the  precincts  of  St.  James',  for  you  would  have  made 
a  splendid  political  agent ! ' 

"  Tickery  received  next  morning  a  douceur  of  a 
thousand  rupees  from  the  priests,  and  ever  since  has 
been  held  in  the  highest  esteem  and  respect  by  the 
King  of  Siam,  also  by  the  Buddhist  priests,  by  whom 
he  is  considered  a  holy  man.  From  the  King  he  re- 
ceives honorary  and  substantial  tokens  of  royal  favor. 
He  has  carte  blanche  to  draw  on  the  King  for  any 
amount,  but  he  says  he  has  as  yet  contented  himself 
with  a  moderate  draft  of  seven  hundred  dollars." 

There  used  to  be  a  story  current  in  Bangkok  that 
every  new  king  made  it  his  pious  care  to  set  up  in 
one  of  the  royal  temples  a  life-size  image  of  Buddha 
of  solid  gold.  Though  we  need  not  believe  this  tale, 
it  would  be  hard  to  exaggerate  the  impression  of 
lavishness  and  distinction  produced  upon  the  visitor 
to  this  city,  full  of  temples.  Nothing  in  great  China 


BANGKOK  AND  TUB  NEW  SI  AM          289 

or  artistic  Japan  can  compare  with  their  peculiar 
brilliance  or  their  wonderful  array  of  color  flashing  in 
the  tropical  sunlight.  We  have  no  reason  to  repeat 
the  enthusiastic  descriptions  which  travellers  never 
tire  of  giving,  impressed  as  they  are  sure  to  be  by  an 
architecture  which,  with  all  its  wealth  and  oddity  of 
detail,  harmonizes  perfectly  with  the  rich  vegetation  in 
the  midst  of  which  it  is  placed.  Change  and  decay  are, 
however,  doing  their  part  in  reducing  the  pictu- 
resqneness  of  this  strange  city.  No  Oriental  thinks 
of  perpetuating  a  public  monument  by  means  of  con- 
stant attention  and  repairs,  and  many  of  these  gay 
edifices  already  lose  their  fine  details  by  long  expos- 
ure to  the  effects  of  a  climate  in  which  nothing  en- 
dures long  if  left  to  itself.  With  the  improvements 
introduced  by  the  present  king  and  his  father  are  dis- 
appearing also  many  of  those  features  of  daily  life  in 
the  capital  which  once  heightened  its  oriental  charm. 
A  pleasure  park  has  been  made,  in  which,  and  on 
some  of  the  new  macadam  roads  about  the  city,  the 
foreigners  and  richer  natives  drive  in  wheeled  vehi- 
cles. So  long,  however,  as  the  roads  are  covered  by 
the  annual  inundations  and  made  unserviceable  for 
months  at  a  time,  the  use  of  carriages  must  be  almost 
as  restricted  here  as  that  of  horses  in  Venice.  A 
more  regrettable  innovation  is  that  of  dress-coats, 
starched  linens,  and  to  some  extent  dresses,  in  the 
fashionable  circles  of  Siam.  Taken  out  of  their  easy 
and  becoming  costumes,  and  encased  in  ill-fitting  and 
uncomfortable  Western  clothes,  the  Siamese  nobles 
can  hardly  be  said  to  have  improved  on  the  old  days. 
With  the  removal  of  their  nakedness  the  lower 


290  SIAM 

classes,  too,  are  becoming  more  conscious,  while  con- 
tact with  a  higher  civilization  has  introduced  vices 
among  them  without  always  bringing  in  their  train 
the  Christian  virtues  of  cleanliness  and  truth. 

The  population  of  Bangkok  increases  steadily  with 
its  prosperity  and  influence,  and  is  to-day  variously 
estimated  at  from  three  hundred  thousand  to  half  a 
million  souls,  nearly  half  of  whom  perhaps  are  Chi- 
nese. Its  main  article  of  export  is  rice,  which  goes 
not  only  to  every  country  of  Asia,  but  to  Australia 
and  America.  Sugar  and  spices,  as  well  as  all  pro- 
ducts of  tropical  forests,  are  also  largely  exported. 
The  customs  returns  of  1890  show  a  considerable  im- 
provement of  the  Bangkok  trade  over  previous  years, 
the  exports  being  $19,257,728  against  $13,317,696 
for  1889,  a  difference  of  over  $5,540,000  ;  the  imports 
of  1890  were  $15,786,120,  against  $9,599,541  in  1889, 
a  gain  of  more  than  six  millions. 

Gas  and  kerosene  are  both  used  for  illumination, 
the  former  in  the  palaces  of  royalty  and  the  nobility, 
where  the  electric  light  has  also  been  introduced. 
Foreign  steam  engines  and  machinery  are  employed 
in  increasing  numbers,  while  iron  bridges  span  many 
of  the  smaller  canals,  and  steam  dredges  keep  the 
river  channel  clear.  Telegraphic  communication  has 
long  since  been  established  with  the  French  settlement 
of  Saigon,  in  Cochin  China,  and  thus  with  the  outer 
world,  and  since  the  British  occupation  of  Burmah  a 
line  is  promised  from  Rangoon  into  Siam.  A  rail- 
way has  been  commenced  between  Bangkok  and 
Ayuthia,  to  extend  thence  to  Korat,  a  total  distance 
of  170  miles;  but  the  overflow  of  the  Meinam,  which 


BANGKOK  AND  THE  NEW  SIAM  291 

renders  a  considerable  embankment  or  causeway 
along  the  river  necessary,  is  a  serious  obstacle  to  its 
construction,  while  the  great  waterway  itself  renders 
a  railroad  less  necessary  in  Siam  than  in  other  conn- 
tries.  Another  line,  from  Bangkok  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Pakong  River,  36  miles  southeast  of  the  city,  is 
also  in  contemplation  ;  while  a  design  exists  to  event- 
ually connect  Zimme  with  the  sea  by  a  line  running 
the  whole  length  of  the  Meinam  Yalley. 

Thus  the  beautiful  city,  in  awaking  from  the  dream 
of  its  old,  narrow  life,  must  become  by  degrees  like 
other  busy  trade  centres  of  the  civilized  world,  cursed 
with  its  sins  as  well  as  blessed  with  its  strength  and 
excellence.  The  tastes  and  education  of  the  present 
sovereign  have  led 'him  to  hasten,  so  far  as  a  single 
will  could,  this  progress  toward  modern  methods  of 
living.  He  has  abolished  the  ancient  custom  of 
prostration  in  the  presence  of  a  superior,  so  that  now 
a  subject  may  approach  even  his  king  without  abase- 
ment. He  has  by  degrees  put  an  end  to  slavery  as  a 
legalized  institution,  throughout  the  country,  and  al- 
though many  of  his  poorer  subjects  are  hardly  better 
off  under  the  system  of  forced  service  than  as  actual 
slaves,  the  change,  if  only  in  some  sort  one  of  name, 
is  a  change  for  the  better.  He  strives  to  make  Bang- 
kok the  pulse  of  the  kingdom,  through  which  the 
life-blood  of  its  commerce  and  control  must  course, 
achieving  by  his  polity  that  highly  centred  system  of 
administration,  without  which  no  pure  despotism  can 
be  either  beneficial  or  successful. 

As  an  indication  of  the  spirit  that  is  quickening 
New  Siam  we  should  not  forget  to  mention  the  ex- 


292  SIAM 

hibition  held  in  Bangkok  in  1882,  to  celebrate  the, 
centennial  of  the  present  dynasty  and  of  its  estab- 
lishment as  the  capital.  An  object-lesson  on  such  a 
grand  scale  was  of  course  a  thing  before  unheard-of 
in  Eastern  Asia,  but  its  benefits  to  the  people  of  this 
region  were  both  wide-spread  and  real,  and  are  still 
to  some  extent  active  in  the  form  of  a  museum  where 
many  of  the  exhibits  are  permanently  preserved  for 
examination  and  display.  "The  exhibition  will  be 
given  " — run  the  words  of  the  royal  announcement — 
"so  that  the  people  may  observe  the  difference  be- 
tween the  methods  used  to  earn  a  living  one  hundred 
years  ago  and  those  now  used,  and  see  what  progress 
has  been  made,  and  note  the  plants  and  fruits  useful  for 
trade  arid  the  improved  means  of  living.  We  believe 
that  this  exhibition  will  be  beneficial  to  the  country." 
Miss  Mary  Hartwell,  one  of  the  American  mis- 
sionaries in  Bangkok,  in  describing  the  exposition 
says :  "  Nothing  there  was  more  significant  than  its 
school  exhibit.  The  Royal  College  was  solicited  to 
make  an  exhibit  representing  the  work  done  in  the 
school.  This  consisted  chiefly  of  specimens  of  writ- 
ino-  in  Siamese  and  Eno-lish.  translations  and  solu- 

O  ^ 

tions  of  problems  in  arithmetic,  the  school  furniture, 
the  text-books  in  use,  and  the  various  helps  employed 
in  teaching,  such  as  the  microscope,  magnets,  electric 
batteries,  etc.  The  Siamese  mind  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  picking  up  information  by  looking  at 
things  and  asking  questions,  and  it  is  believed  that 
this  exhibit  will  not  only  enhance  the  reputation  of 
the  college,  but  give  the  Siamese  some  new  ideas  on 
the  subject  of  education. 


THE    PALACE   OF    THE    KING    OF    SIAM,    BANGKOK. 


BANGKOK  AND   THE  NEW  SIAM          293 

"  Miss  Olmstead  and  I,  together  with  our  assistant, 
Ma  Tuen,  have  been  training  little  fingers  in  fancy- 
work,  or  rather  overseeing  the  finishing  up  'of  things, 
to  go  to  the  exhibition.  April  25th  we  placed  our 
mats,  tidies,  afghans,  rugs,  cushions,  needle-books, 
edgings,  work-bags,  and  lambrequins  in  the  cases  al- 
lotted to  our  school  in  the  Queen's  Room,  and  on  the 
26th  we  were  again  at  our  posts  to  receive  his  Majesty 
the  King,  and  give  him  our  salutations  upon  his  first 
entrance  at  the  grand  opening.  He  was  dressed  in  a 
perfectly-fitting  suit  of  navy-blue  broadcloth,  without 
any  gaudy  trappings,  and  never  did  he  wear  a  more 
becoming  suit.  His  face  was  radiant  with  joy,  and 
his  quick,  elastic  step  soon  brought  him  to  us.  He 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  pleasure  at  seeing  us  there, 
shook  our  hands  most  cordially,  took  a  hasty  survey 
of  our  exhibits,  and  then  cried  out  with  boyish  en- 
thusiasm, '  These  things  are  beautiful,  mem ;  did 
you  make  them  ? '  '  Oh,  no,'  I  responded,  '  we 
taught  the  children,  and  they  made  them.'  '  Have 
you  many  scholars?'  was  the  next  question.  'About 
thirty-one,'  I  answered.  Turning  again  to  the  cases 
lie  exclaimed,  emphatically,  'They  are  beautiful 
things,  and  I  am  coming  back  to  look  at  them  care- 
fully— am  in  haste  now.'  And  off  he  went  to  the 
other  departments.  Since  then  we  see  by  the  paper 
published  in  Bangkok,  that  his  Majesty  has  paid  the 
girls'  school  of  Bangkok  the  high  compliment  of  de- 
claring himself  the  purchaser  of  the  collection,  and 
has  attached  his  name  to  the  cases." 

"  The  king  of  this  country,"  says  a  discriminating 
writer  in  the  Saturday  Review,  "  is  no  doubt  one  of 


29<i-  SIAM 

the  monarchs  whom  it  is  the  fashion  to  call  '  enlight- 
ened.' But  he  understands  the  word  in  a  very  dif- 
ferent sense  from  that  which  is  often  applied  to  it  in 
London.  He  does  not  interpret  it  to  mean  a  sover- 
eign who  throws  about  valuable  lands  and  privileges 
to  be  scrambled  for  by  all  the  needy  adventurers  and 
greedy  speculators  who  are  on  the  watch  for  such 
pickings.  Ko  ;  King  Chulalonkorn  and  his  minis- 
ters, many  of  whom  are  highly  accomplished  men, 
are  sincerely  anxious  for  the  speedy  development  of 
the  great  resources  over  which  they  have  command. 
They  have  shown,  by  the  most  practical  proofs,  that 
they  have  this  desire  and  are  able  to  carry  it  out. 
An  extensive  network  of  telegraphs  has  rapidly  been 
established  throughout  their  wide  territory.  Schools, 
hospitals,  and  other  public  buildings  have  been 
erected  and  are  increasing  every  day.  In  1888  a 
tramway  company,  mainly  supported  by  Siamese 
capital,  began  running  cars  in  the  metropolis.  A 
river  flotilla  company,  wholly  Siamese,  carries  the 
passenger  traffic  of  the  fine  stream  on  which  Bangkok 
is  built ;  and  in  1889  important  gold-mining  opera- 
tions were  begun  by  a  company  formed  in  London, 
in  which  the  great  majority  of  subscribers  are  Siam- 
ese nobles  and  other  inhabitants  of  that  country. 
Lastly,  a  well-known  Englishman,  formerly  Governor 
of  the  Straits  Settlements,  obtained  some  years  ago 
a  contract  for  surveying  a  trunk  line  of  railway  in 
Siam,  for  which  he  was  paid  some  £50,000  by  the 
Siamese  government. 

u  With  these  evidences  staring  us  in  the  face,  it 
would  be  very  absurd  to  speak  of  the  country  or  its 


BANGKOK  AND  THE  NEW  SIAM  295 

ruler  as  hanging  back  in  the  path  of  progress.  One 
must,  moreover,  remember  that,  besides  these  signs 
of  advancement,  a  free  field  has  been  and  is  opened 
to  the  wide  employment  of  foreign  capital  in  ordi- 
nary matters  of  trade.  llice-mills,  saw-mills,  and 
docks  are  doing  a  very  large  business,  with  very 
large  profits  to  their  owners,  who  jconsist  of  English, 
French,  German,  and  Chinese  capitalists.  ...  A 
policy  of  reaction  or  inaction  is  the  very  reverse  of 
that  which  Siam  now  professes ;  and  the  ruling  powers 
in  that  country  are  as  anxious  as  any  foreigner  to  im- 
prove it  in  a  wise,  liberal,  and  even  generous  spirit. 
We  have  thus,  on  the  one  hand,  a  king  and  ministers 
sincerely  desirous  of  promoting  European  enterprise, 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  a  European  public  hardly 
less  ready  to  embark  capital  therein." 

Unfortunately  for  Siam,  there  lies  in  the  way  of 
her  advancement  the  same  stumbling-block  of  extra- 
territoriality which  has  impeded  the  honest  aspira- 
tions of  other  Asiatic  states.  The  term  implies  those 
civil  and  judicial  rights  enjoyed  by  foreigners  living 
in  the  East,  who,  under  treaties  for  the  most  part  ex- 
torted when  the  conditions  were  entirely  different,  ex- 
ercise the  privilege  of  governing  and  judging  them- 
selves independently  of  native  officers  and  tribunals. 
In  such  eager  and  enlightened  countries  as  Japan  and 
Siam,  this  limitation  to  the  autonomy  of  the  sover- 
eign is  peculiarly  humiliating  as  well  as  intensely  un- 
suitable to  existing  conditions.  The  simplest  meas- 
ures of  police  ordinance  and  local  government,  even 
if  it  be  a  new  liquor  traffic  law,  or  an  opium  farm 
regulation,  cannot  be  carried  into  effect  without  the 


296  SIAM 

separate  consent  of  every  European  power,  whether 
great  or  small,  which  has  a  consul  in  the  place.  Add 
to  this  the  too  common  contingency  of  unjust  or  inef- 
ficient consuls,  wholly  unqualified  for  their  offices,  and 
their  frequent  inability  to  properly  control  the  adven- 
turers or  aliens  nominally  residing  under  their  flag, 
and  the  drawbacks  to  further  improvement  in  Siam, 
as  in  other  parts  of  Asia,  may  be  dimly  understood. 
With  the  revision  of  the  antiquated  treaties  now  in 
force  commercial  relations  between  Siam  and  the 
countries  of  Christendom  would  soon  be  established 
on  a  fair  footing,  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  all  par- 
ties interested. 


THE   END. 


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